Challenges faced by families caring for elderly individuals with dementia

Abstract

Introduction: Human beings depend on care from the beginning to the end of life, a need that intensifies in old age, a phase in which the body becomes more vulnerable to disease. There is evidence that inadequate eating habits and unhealthy lifestyles contribute directly to the onset of dementia. Objective: To understand the challenges faced by families caring for elderly people with dementia. Method: This is a narrative review, with a qualitative and non-systematic approach, based on publications from 2018 to 2023. Searches were conducted in databases such as Scielo, PubMed, LILACS, and BVS, as well as manuals, books, and institutional documents, using descriptors related to the elderly, dementia, and family care. Data analysis followed the content analysis method. Results: The results were organized into four categories: The elderly person, Dementia, Difficulties and challenges of the caregiver, and Quality of life of the caregiver. It became evident that the lack of training and technical skills constitutes the main challenge for the family caregiver, especially in the face of the progressive loss of autonomy of the elderly person, which demands increasing dependence. The study also addresses the physiological, psychological, and social transformations resulting from aging and how dementia intensifies negative aspects that compromise the quality of life of both the elderly person and the caregiver. Final considerations: It is pointed out that the adoption of support, training, and guidance strategies can minimize the difficulties faced by the family, promoting a better quality of life for caregivers and elderly people with dementia.