Interdisciplinarity of care to the elderly with Alzheimer’s disease: reflection to the light of the theories of Leininger and Heller

Abstract

Objective: to reflect on the integration of Leininger's Transcultural and Heller's daily life theories in the support of the care of the elderly with Alzheimer's disease. Method: reflection study guided by the researchers' perceptions, when understanding, in the development of actions, the convergence between the theories. As the procedures, studies about the theme in the fields of nursing and social work were analyzed. Results: text organized in two parts: "Cultural Care of the elderly with Alzheimer's Disease" and "The Daily Care of the elderly with Alzheimer's Disease". The respect for cultural aspects and immediate problems resolution of the elderly with Alzheimer's Disease are interdisciplinary actions integrated in the context of care, from the assumptions of Leininger and Heller, in this scenario used as a foundation for improving the care of patients. Conclusions and Implications for practice: the interdisciplinarity of care in Heller and Leininger is explained by the approximation to the social context, with common elements. Together, these theories provide the best response in promoting the well-being of the elderly with Alzheimer's Disease and its related surrounding. The theories congruence implies an integral and solid care, involves concrete action, based on different assumptions, which strengthen when they come together, benefiting patient and caregivers, with an individualized and differentiated care.

O idoso portador de Alzheimer e o cuidador familiar: contribuições da teoria de alcance de metas de Imogene King

“…Associaram-se alguns desses sintomas a sobrecarga do cuidador. Barbosa et al (2019) traz aspectos como incapacidade de tomar banho sozinho, em vestir a roupa, desânimo, tristeza ou desesperança, perda de interesse por atividades prazerosas e perda involuntária de urina ou fezes.…”

Theoretical reflections of Leininger’s cross-cultural care in the context of Covid-19

“…The definition of care, according to the TDUCC, emphasizes the understanding of diversity (inequality) and universality (equality) between cultures associated with care. Thus, the nurse needs to assist and facilitate the patient's search for well-being and offer pertinent care to the culture, in order to achieve the expected results (9)(10)(11) .…”

“…At the first level, the dimension of cultural and social structure involves technological factors; religious and philosophical; companionship/kinship and social; cultural values and ways of life; political and legal; economic and educational factors. These influence the worldview, the standard of care and the expressions arising from individual groups, families and institutions around their perceptions of the world (9) .…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and qualification needs of primary health care professionals in the care of dementia

“…This compromised state can affect functions in two spheres: Daily Activities, such as bathing, dressing, feeding, cleanliness, transfer and continence; and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, such as managing personal finances, professional activities and all those that involve the ability to perform tasks and that are modulated by the frontal lobe. Behavioral symptoms generally include agitation, dysphoria, apathy, irritability, aberrant motor behavior, delusions, hallucinations, disinhibition, among others, which tend to intensify as the disease progresses (1)(2)(3) .…”

“…They are classified as primary (resulting from damage to the brain structure) and secondary due to other underlying diseases -for example, high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus. They are further divided into two major groups: reversible, which include metabolic changes, intoxications, infections and nutritional deficiencies, and irreversible, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD), mixed (MD), by Lewy body (LBD), frontotemporal (FTD), and Parkinson's (PD), Huntington's (HD), and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) (1)(2) . AD is the most common form of the syndrome worldwide, accounting for 60% to 70% of the cases.…”