Práticas educativas para o empoderamento de cuidados informais de idosos com doença de Alzheimer.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to enable the empowerment of informal caregivers of elderly people with Alzheimer's disease through educational practices. This is a descriptive, qualitative study, conducted by the action-research methodology, developed with caregivers of elderly people with Alzheimer's Disease in São José de Piranhas-PB. After approval of the project by the Research Ethics Committee under the no. 2.904.843, the research was started. For the data collect a semi-structured interview was carried out from the situational diagnosis, then two health education activities were carried out, which essentially have the themes found in the previous stage, finally, was realized a second interview to evaluate the actions performed. For the analysis of the obtained data was used the methodological process of the Discourse of the Collective Subject, giving rise to two themes and four categories of the first interview and a theme with two categories, the second. The research steps followed Resolution 510/2016 of the National Health Council. It was identified that caregivers still have difficulties in understanding the disease and how to deal with everyday situations that result in work overload, as well as the need to seek ways of coping so as not to become discouraged in the face of situations. Based on situational and thematic diagnoses raised, health education actions were planned and implemented to provide a change in the reality of caregivers' lives. The next step was extremely important to prove the importance of health education actions to transform the life scenario of caregivers, being reported the change of the concepts and ways of thinking and acting before the disease. Thus, it is understood that health education activities provide the empowerment of caregivers of elderly people with Alzheimer's Disease, and knowledge must be shared through continuing health education.