Demência e cuidados paliativos, uma análise reflexiva

Introduction: The term Dementia translates a set of symptoms from a wide group of diseases that cause cognitive decline and interfere with a person’s occupational, domestic and social function. It is an irreversible disease whose prevalence rate has been increasing and causes great social and economic impact on families/caregivers and the community. As dementia is a progressive and incurable disease, palliative care is a possible answer with the aim of promoting well-being and quality of life for the patient/family, prioritizing care and respecting human dignity. Objective: Reflect on the factors that affect the accessibility of patients with dementia to palliative care. Materials and methods: Qualitative study prepared as part of a research project, using thematic analysis. Results: Two medical classes were interviewed, neurologists and palliative care professionals with the aim of identifying the factors that affect the accessibility of patients with dementia to palliative care. From the perspective of both, there is nothing that promotes accessibility, only factors that condition/limit it were found. The factors identified were, society, health policies/system, health professionals and patient/family. Conclusion: Palliative care is an appropriate response to patients with dementia, prioritizing quality of life and identifying the needs of this type of patient/family. However, the lack of training from both health professionals and the general population regarding the topic in question negatively influences both dementia and palliative care. It is important to prioritize their training/awareness and invest in a multidisciplinary approach, improving resources and health policies for the patient/family with dementia.