Significados que a pessoa idosa atribui à sua dependência no autocuidado

Abstract

In the XXI century, Portugal is confronted with the addition of an aging population that contributes to the increased incidence of degenerative and chronic diseases, which in turn, enhance the dependency on self-care and, of course, the inability of the National Health Service to meet the needs of the self-care dependent elderly. Given these circumstances, the elderly dependent in self-care feels helpless and attributes meanings to the dependency on self-care that influence their dynamic personal/family and quality of life. With this study, we wanted identify the meanings that the elderly, who live at home and are dependent on at least one activity of daily living, attributed to dependency on self-care. We conducted a qualitative study using the hermeneutic phenomenology. The sample was formed by five elderly, aged over 80 years, who living in home, are users of home help service and dependents on at least one activity of daily living. Data collection was conducted, after informed consent of the participant, using the not structured interview, and then, we performed the complete transcription and thematic analysis. The data revealed that the meanings that dependent in self-care elderly attributed to the dependence are contingent to the perception of gains and losses associated with the circumstances. Thus, associated with perception of losses emerged the meanings: impairment of human dignity, be affected by dependence on self-care, feel like a prisoner inside a useless body and erasing the ratio of living, while allied to the perception of gains emerged the meaning: feel important to the other. Given such data, the proximity nursing acquires a relevant role in the management the meanings of dependency as assigned by dependent in self-care elderly. However, it is essential, caring of the entirety human to identify their needs and consequently implement customized interventions directed to own, but also, regarding the family subsystem as focus of attention. Considering the current context, stands to the importance of training the caregiver to exercise the role in order to contribute to the promotion of quality of life of both parties.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Margarida Maria Vieira (Supervisor)