[Family care for elderly patients with cerebrovascular accident sequelae]

This study had as objectives to identify the nature of the family care given to the elderly with sequels of Cerebral Vascular Accident (AVC); to understand its major problems; and to discuss its meaning from the caregiver's vision. It was developed through a qualitative/descriptive methodology. The subjects, five caregivers of elderly with sequels of Cerebral Vascular Accident, were interviewed at their homes. Semi-structured interviews and the projective technique (story drawing with a theme proposed by Trinca) were used. The data analysis was done through thematic analysis (the first phase of the Enunciation Analysis recommended by d'Unrug, in Bardin, 1994) which rose the following categories: "nature of the family care"; "social-economic changes of the caregiver"; "emotional and physical burnout of the caregiver"; and "the meaning of the family care". The results allowed a characterization of the caregivers group and the identification of total care to the elderly.