O significado da doença de Alzheimer segundo os familiares dos idosos

Abstract

This study deals with Alzheimer's disease focusing on the family of the elderly, from the narratives of two families, with the design qualitative case studies. Aims to: understand the meaning attributed to the disease of the elderly by family members, knowing the difficulties faced in the life cycle of the disease and adaptability to the conditions encountered by these families interviewed. To collect data from a generative question, conducted interviews free narrative together with family members. Through these narratives - story, souvenirs and memories of life shared with the elderly - can understand the phenomenon from the perspective of these families. Case selection was made by sampling "snowball", using as a method of analysis, the analysis of narratives, which served to reveal the construction process - 'reconstructions of the buildings life. " He highlighted the difficulty of acceptance for participation in this study by some families contacted, justified by the difficulty of verbalizing losses, difficulty in recognizing the changing social status, enter the intimacy of the family, the refusal to confront what is happening, feeling embarrassed for the behavioral changes of the elderly and loss of identity as a person. In the analysis of the narratives we highlight the following dimensions: difficulty and the impact of diagnosis; sharing of experience; social support networks in the figure of relatives, neighbors and friends; loss of identity and change the "being"; family resilience; social stigma and family dynamics. Each family responded to this situation in a unique way, pointing to the need to provide more information about the disease and developing strategies to promote a family to support a better understanding of the disease process and the elderly with Alzheimer's disease impact on family dynamics.