Profile of older adults caring for other older adults in contexts of high social vulnerability

Abstract

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.

Health-related consequences of caring for dependent relatives in older adult caregivers

“…This is because a caregiver who becomes ill will not be able to maintain the care quality. In view of the aging in the Brazilian population, this situation is even more delicate, since the growth in the indices of older adult caregivers for other older adults (20) , especially female caregivers, is notorious. Therefore, it is essential to enable care spaces for the people who are performing the caregiver role.…”

Burden, profile and care: caregivers of socially vulnerable elderly persons

“…Schooling, being an indicator of vulnerability, contributes to the limitations of social and economic mobility of people as well as affecting levels of productivity and income, which can compromise caregivers when seeking information and resources in public systems 10 . Santos-Orlandi et al 17 emphasize that social vulnerability is one of the factors that contribute to a lack of individual, family and social resources to meet the needs of the people.…”

“…Elderly caregivers undergo constant changes due to the care they provide, with less time for leisure and social activities, which may worsen when the care is provided in a context of vulnerability and can cause depression, anxiety, dissatisfaction with life, the aggravation of illness and risk of disease 17 . Technical, psychological and financial support, guidance, working in groups and the accompanying and monitoring of these caregivers in the public system is required.…”

Fragilidade de idosos em vulnerabilidade social

“…In the century in which these elderly were born, education was informal and access to school was difficult, considering that the majority lived in rural areas. (20) Evidence indicates that the level of education is a protective factor for protective factor for adverse health effects of the elderly. (11) In addition, the elderly with low educational level may present mental health problems, chronic conditions, in addition to social exclusion, less access to information, and unfavorable socioeconomic conditions.…”