Resiliência em cuidadores familiares de idosos com doença de Alzheimer

Abstract

Introduction: Resilience is the ability of individuals or groups to overcome adversity without presenting physical or mental disorders, or even become better against unfavorable conditions. It is seen as being essential to obtain a healthier lifestyle. Objectives: evaluate factors associated to resilience in family caregivers of elderly with Alzheimer's disease. Method: This is a cross-sectional study, descriptive, comparative, correlational quantitative character. Were interviewed 66 family caregivers of elderly with Alzheimer's disease (AD), followed in a teaching clinic at a public university. The group was divided into three subgroups of caregivers: DA mild, moderate and advanced. As a control group, were interviewed 30 family caregivers of people with diabetes, DM group, followed in a primary care unit in São Carlos. Results: The majority of caregivers in both groups were women, wives or daughters, with an average age of 56 years (AD) and 53 years (DM). In terms of schooling, the DA group reached an average of 8.0 years and the DM group had an average of 5.3 years of schooling. Most caregivers of all groups / subgroups showed moderate levels of resilience. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that some factors contribute to the increase of resilience in the AD group, namely: overhead, number of days devoted to the care, parentage spouse degree, good self perception of physical health and the practice of other activities. As for the DM group, the significant variables were only depression and age. Other factors were related to resilience, such as stress, overload and other variables. Caregivers of elderly patients with AD presented higher levels of anxiety, stress, overload and depression compared to caregivers of people with diabetes. Conclusions: caring relatives with chronic diseases, neurodegenerative or not, creates anxiety, stress, depression and overload. These variables are more pronounced in caregivers of elderly patients with AD.