The caring process of the hospitalized elderly: perception of caregivers of a university hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23925/2176-901X.2017v20iEspecial23p175-190Keywords:
Perception, Caregivers, Hospitalization, Health of the Elderly, Aging.Abstract
The objective was to identify the perception, regarding the care process, of elderly companions from a university hospital, often their post-hospitalization caregivers, in the home environment. This is a descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study with a qualitative approach, performed with 28 caregivers and caregivers of the elderly hospitalized in a hospital. An interview was used as an instrument of data collection. The data processing is given through Content Analysis. Six categories of study emerged as a result of the research: Characterization of the participants; Authoritarian evaluation of the companion's participation in the geriatric care; Emotional support for the elderly; Positive reinforcement for the hospitalized elderly, due to the interest of the companion in participating in the care; Difficult factors for the companion's participation in assisting the elderly; and Contribution of the nursing team to the companion's satisfaction. Therefore, it is concluded that the presence of the companion in the hospital environment, often acting as a post-hospitalization caregiver, in the home environment, contribute substantially to the improvement of the prognosis of the clinical picture and the recovery of the elderly patient.