Comprendiendo al cuidador del adulto mayor con Alzheimer. Una visión desde la enfermería

Introduction: Alzheimer’s is one of the most common pathologies of cognitive impairment in the elderly, which requires the need of a caregiver. Objective: to understand the caregiver from the perception of Nursing Professionals who work in care units for older adults with Alzheimer’s. Methodology: a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was carried out. The Herbert Spielgelberg method for interpretation of the information was used. Prior informed consent, the in-depth interview was used. The key informants were 4 caregivers who work in hospital units with older adults with Alzheimer’s. Also, 4 external informants, two nursing professionals and two doctors from a private hospital in the city of Quito, Ecuador. Findings: four categories emerged: 1) the meaning of the care provided by the caregiver to older adults with Alzheimer’s. 2) The characteristics of the caregiver who cares for the elderly with Alzheimer’s. 3) Values present at the time of providing care to the elderly with Alzheimer’s. 4) The feelings expressed by the caregiver when caring for the elderly with Alzheimer’s. Discussion/ Interpretation: the study reveals that in order to understand the caregiver of the elderly with Alzheimer’s from the perception of nursing professionals, it involves more than the concept s of helping, satisfying basic needs, and taking care of their safety and integrity. They need constant training in order to provide quality care and warmth. They must exhibit personal and professional values; undergo both pleasant and negative experiences that depend on the perception of the caregiver. Conclusion: from the point of view of nursing as a profession, the caregiver who assists the Alzheimer’s patient assumes responsibility with discipline, prioritizing commitment, willingness, patience, dedication, applying professional knowledge to enable efficacy, efficiency and effectiveness by providing protection and safety in order to ensure quality and warmth in care.