ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between cognition and frailty in the elderly.MethodsA systematic review on the currently existing literature concerning the subject was carried out. The search strategy included LILACS, SCOPUS, SciELO, PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science databases.ResultsA total of 19 studies were selected for review, from which 10 (52.6%) were cross-sectional and 9 (47.4%) longitudinal, and the majority Brazilian. All of the studies established a link between cognition and frailty. There was a relationship between components of frailty and the cognitive domains. Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), dementia and mortality were all evidenced in the relationship between frailty and cognitive impairment.ConclusionThe theory remains limited, but results show the variables that appear to be linked to cognition and frailty in elderly. This data can help in implementing actions to improve the quality of life among elderly.

Objective: to analyze the profile of a population of caregivers from a city in a rural area of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and identify their health complaints and the characteristics of care provided. Method: a prospective cross-sectional study was performed based on a domicile survey of 99 caregivers and their elderly care recipients. Information about the profile, context of care and health complaints of the caregivers was collected. The caregivers responded to the Zarit Burden Inventory and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 and the elderly underwent a cognition and functionality assessment. The chi-squared test with odds ratio (OR) was performed to test associations. Result: the majority of the caregivers were women (n=76), elderly (n=83), with a median age 65.8 (±10.4) years and 4.9 (±4.2) years of formal schooling. The most frequent health complaints were pain, systemic hypertension, insomnia, back problems and vision problems. The elderly care recipients were men (n=75), with an average age of 72.0 (±8.2) years. Analysis of associations revealed that caregivers who received emotional support had a lower chance of being highly overburdened (OR=0.37; CI95% 0.15-0.90). Caring for over five years was associated with arthritis (OR=2.50; CI95% 1.0-6.56). Caring of an elderly person with cognitive impairment was strongly associated with peripheral vascular diseases (OR=2.70; CI95% 1.11-6.85) and other diseases (OR=6.94; CI95% 1.43-33.63). Conclusion: A better understanding of the reality of care in rural and remote areas and the identification of factors related to the health care of caregivers provides better care management for the elderly and caregivers, who themselves are aging.

Perfil de idosos que cuidam de outros idosos em contexto de alta vulnerabilidade social AbstrActObjective: To characterize older adult caregivers who care for other older adults in the context of high social vulnerability. Methods:Descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted with 40 older adult caregivers using: Mini Mental State Examination, Katz Index, Lawton's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale and the Frailty phenotype proposed by Fried. The previously scheduled interviews were conducted in the home of the caregiver. For the data analysis, the statistical software Stata 11.0 was used, descriptively. Results: There was a predominance of females, age range 60-69 years, married, with primary education, who were retired. They had no health insurance. Most were pre-frail, hypertensive and independent in both instrumental activities and basic activities of daily living. They showed no evidence of depressive symptoms or cognitive impairments. Conclusion: To know the profile of the older adult caregiver is essential to support health services in planning quality care.Keywords: Caregivers; Geriatric Nursing; Older Adult; Social Vulnerability. La mayoría era pre-frágil, hipertensa e independiente, tanto para las actividades instrumentales como para las actividades básicas de la vida diaria. No presentaban indicios de síntomas depresivos ni de alteraciones cognitivas. Conclusión: Conocer el perfil de los ancianos cuidadores es imprescindible para subsidiar los servicios de salud en la planificación de una atención de calidad.

ABSTRACT. The degree of burden related to the demands of daily care provided to a dependent older adult is important to evaluate due to the negative influence exerted on caregivers’ physical and psychological health. Objective: To analyze the validity of the 12-item version of the Zarit Burden Interview administered to older caregivers of community-dwelling older dependent individuals and suggest a cut-off score based on quartiles. Methods: Three hundred and forty-one older caregivers (mean age: 69.6±7.1 years; 76.8% women) registered with primary healthcare centers were evaluated using the ZBI-12. Additional evaluations addressed stress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS]) in the older caregivers and the degree of dependence of the older care recipients (Lawton and Brody [L&B]). Results: Cronbach’s alpha demonstrated very good internal consistency (α=0.81). Correlations were found between all ZBI-12 items and overall score on the PSS (r=0.53; p<0.01). GDS (r=0.43; p<0.01) and L&B (r= -0.23; p<0.01) scale scores. The PSS demonstrated the strongest correlation with ZBI-12 score and proved to be the standard reference. Based on caregivers with a higher degree of stress considering the PSS score quartiles, a cut-off score of 13 points on the ZBI-12 is suggested for screening burden in community-dwelling older caregivers, but should not be assumed as normative data. Conclusion: The ZBI-12 can be considered valid for evaluation of burden in clinical practice and research as a fast, efficient option for screening burden among older caregivers of community-dwelling older adults.

Changes in patterns of performance for the cognitive functions of memory, processing speed, and focused attention are expected in old age.Objective:The main goal of this systematic review was to analyze the use of ERP in healthy elderly in studies evaluating the P300 components.Methods:A systematic review was carried out based on recommendations for nursing research on the databases LILACS, PsycINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science.Results:26 studies involving 940 healthy elderly were identified, most of which sought to identify and determine the influence of age on the P300.Conclusion:Although there is consensus in the literature that P300 latency is significantly longer in elderly with psychiatric disorders compared to healthy elderly, it was not possible to conclude P300 associations with gender, education and other cognitive tests.

Objective: Identifying prevalence of frailty in elderly caregivers inserted in a high social vulnerability context and its correlation with sociodemographic and health aspects. Method: Descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional study. Forty elderly caregivers were evaluated with: questionnaire for caregiver characterization, Mini Mental State Examination, Katz Index, Lawton instrumental activities of daily living scale, Geriatric Depression Scale and the frailty phenotype proposed by Fried. Interviews were conducted at their residences and scheduled in advance. All ethical precautions were observed. Data were analyzed with the Stata statistical program version 11.0. Results: 10% of elderly caregivers were frail. There was a signifi cant correlation between frailty and sex, instrumental activities of daily living and cognition. Conclusion: Female caregivers, partially dependent individuals regarding instrumental activities of daily living and with worse cognitive state deserve a special attention from health services. Descriptors: Caregivers; Fragile Elderly; Geriatric Nursing; Social Vulnerability; Family Health. RESUMO Objetivo: Identifi car a prevalência de fragilidade em cuidadores idosos inseridos em contexto de alta vulnerabilidade social e sua correlação com aspectos sociodemográfi cos e de saúde. Método: Estudo descritivo, correlacional, transversal. Foram avaliados 40 cuidadores idosos utilizando-se: questionário para caracterização do cuidador, Mini Exame do Estado Mental, Índice de Katz, Escala de atividades instrumentais de vida diária de Lawton, Escala de Depressão Geriátrica e o fenótipo de fragilidade proposto por Fried. As entrevistas foram realizadas no domicílio, sendo previamente agendadas. Todos os cuidados éticos foram observados. Os dados foram analisados com apoio do pacote estatístico Stata versão 11.0. Resultados: 10,0% dos cuidadores idosos eram frágeis. Houve correlação signifi cativa entre fragilidade e: sexo, atividades instrumentais de vida diária e cognição. Conclusão: Cuidadoras do sexo feminino, indivíduos parcialmente dependentes em relação às atividades instrumentais de vida diária e com pior estado cognitivo merecem especial atenção dos serviços de saúde. Descritores: Cuidadores; Idoso Fragilizado; Enfermagem Geriátrica; Vulnerabilidade Social; Saúde da Família. RESUMENObjetivo: Identifi car la existencia de la fragilidad en ancianos cuidadores en un contexto de elevada vulnerabilidad social y su correlación con aspectos sociodemográfi cos y sanitarios. Método: Estudio descriptivo, correlacional, transversal. Se evaluaron a cuarenta ancianos cuidadores empleando: un cuestionario para conocer el cuidador, el Miniexamen del Estado Mental, el Índice de Katz, la Escala de actividades instrumentales de la vida diaria de Lawton, la Escala de depresión geriátrica y el fenotipo de fragilidad, de Fried. Se realizaron las entrevistas en las residencias con fecha y horario agendado. Se observaron todos los cuidados éticos. Se evaluaron los datos mediante el software Stata, ve...

OBJECTIVE Comparing the differences in the sociodemographic, care and health profiles of elderly caregivers of the elderly living in urban, rural, and high social vulnerability contexts. METHOD A cross-sectional study developed with elderly caregivers enrolled in the Family Health Units of a municipality in the interior of São Paulo. Household interviews and evaluations were conducted on: Activities of Daily Living (ADL), self-reported pain, frailty, cognition, life satisfaction, family functionality, burden, stress and hope. RESULTS A total of 343 elderly caregivers of elderly individuals participated in the study, of which 55.1% lived in an urban context, 23.6% in rural areas, and 21.3% in a context of high social vulnerability. The majority of elderly caregivers were women across the three contexts, with a median age of 67 years and caring for their spouse. Caregivers from regions of high social vulnerability had lower education level, received less emotional and material help to care, were less satisfied with life, more fragile, in more cognitive decline, had worse family functionality and a lower level of hope when compared to caregivers of urban and rural contexts (p≤0.05). However, caregivers from areas of high vulnerability were more independent for ADL. CONCLUSION Professionals working in Primary Care should consider these differences when planning interventions aimed at the specific group of caregivers.

Objective: to identify factors associated with depressive symptoms in elderly caregivers with chronic pain. Method: the study included people 60 years of age or older who reported chronic pain and cared for another elderly person living in the same household (n=186). Statistical analyzes were performed using the Mann-Whitney test, univariate and multiple logistic regression. Results: most participants had no depressive symptoms (70.4%), 24.2% had mild depressive symptoms and 5.4% had severe symptoms. Univariate analysis showed that the variables family income, number of diseases, number of medications in use, pain intensity, overload and perceived stress were associated with depressive symptoms. Multivariate analysis found an association with perceived stress (95% CI 1.101-1207) and number of medications (95% CI 1.139-1.540) in use. Conclusion: factors associated with depressive symptoms in elderly caregivers with chronic pain were stress and the number of medications in use.