El cuidador informal y el manejo del paciente con enfermedad crónico degenerativa en fase paliativa

Abstract

Objective: The different functions of the informal caregiver in the management of patients with chronic degenerative disease in palliative phase were identified, in the full development of their functions and also associating their experiences. Methodology: A qualitative descriptive study with a hermeneutical and dialectical phenomenological approach, the population consisted of 15 people, of which 6 were selected considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. To collect the data, an interview was recorded with semi-structured questions relevant to categories that had a higher frequency prior to the signing of an informed consent, with which a table was analyzed for the introduction of the data obtained following the method of Damaziere and Dubar , respecting the ethical principles established in the Declaration of Helsinki. Results and discussion: The 6 informal caregivers selected work with patients with clinical diagnoses such as: gastrointestinal conditions with mandatory use of an ostomy, congestive cardiovascular disease, obstructive pulmonary disease, dementias and kidney failure. Of all the interviewees, their relatives were in absolute rest with high dependence for the execution of activities of daily life Karnofsky between 40 and 50%. Lack of knowledge in the activities that caregivers had to carry out was the most outstanding concern in all the interviews. Conclusion: Chronicdegenerative diseases are responsible for 70% of people who require an informal caregiver; The same ones who on several occasions stated that they did not know how to handle their patient, experienced various negative sensations that degrade their physical and emotional condition, both in the carer and in the patient.