Familiares e sua relação com o idoso institucionalizado: proposta de um programa psicoeducativo

Abstract

The study of the family and its relationship with the institutionalized elderly: the proposal of a psychoeducational program brings to discussion the relationship between the family and the institutionalized elderly regarding the social-demographic profile of the family, data related to the level of stress and the coping strategy used by relatives in a qualitative and quantitative approach, proposing a psychoeducational program that aims to assist the family in matters of inpatient, elderly disease and care. Thirty relatives of seniors who were in Long-Stay Institutions participated in this study. The following tools were used: a semi-structured questionnaire (to evaluate the social demographic profile), a Caregiver Burden Inventory (Zarit) and a Coping Strategy Inventory (Folkman and Lazarus). The results showed the prevalence of female gender, 83.3%; most of the sample comprising sons and daughters, 56.7%; higher education prevailed, 70%, a differentiated result in the research; most of them were retired, 63.3%. Half the group had some health problem; 5 of them were neuroleptics. The average age of the participants was 60.5 years with sd = 10.7. The minimum age was 38 years old and the maximum age was 86 years old. Most of the elderly inpatients were in the range of 64 to 96 years old, diagnosed with Alzheimer s and only one was in depression. Female gender prevailed. There were low rates of family caregiver s burden related to stress responses. Of the 14 participants, there were 3 men, 46.6% had no stress and there were eight others, representing 57.1%. 9, 64.3%, had higher education and only one, 7.1%, used neuroleptics. With light and moderate stress, there were 13 people, the most without marriage bond; 9 daughters (69.2%) with higher education; 10 (76.9%) out of work; 8 (61.5%) with health problems and 3 (23.1%) ingesting neuroleptics. In moderate and severe category, 2 daughters out of work and with no health problems (66.7%) and 1 wife out of work and using neuroleptics (33.3%), all female and 3 (100%) with higher education. In responses regarding Coping Strategies Inventory, significant results for those who were using neuroleptics were obtained: those who ingested neuroleptics were using more coping strategy (p-value<0.01). Those who had higher education also showed significant results (p-value<0.05). The result of coping was higher in men than in women in absolute terms, on average 61.8% versus 43.6 for women. The responses of proximity and conflict concerning the relationship with the elderly before inpatient were more significant in females with their mothers. Regarding responses by hospitalization decision, it was more significant in sons (23.3%), because of behavior changes, especially aggressiveness, followed by brother s decision (13.35%), for the lack of adequate space, fragile heath and finally the wife s decision, because of fragile health and lack of qualified caregivers. Among the feelings that lead to family stress there is fear, insecurity, guilt and remorse. The psychoeducational program proposal turns to reducing family stress, improving the integration between the family and the institution and also the potentiation of care taken.