Resumo

DUARTE, Joana  e  CARQUEJA, Eduardo. Palliative care in dementia - knowledge of formal caregivers. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2020, vol.21, n.2, pp.404-414. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/20psd210215.

The progressive increase in dependence associated with dementia is often a reason for institutionalization. Caring for dementia should focus on preserving dignity and comfort in a palliative approach. Even so, the access of this population to Palliative Care (PC) is insufficient. Given the essential role of formal caregivers, this study aims to describe their knowledge about PC in dementia. A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample consisted of 46 formal caregivers of the elderly, who answered a questionnaire created by the authors, analyzed according to the Bardin’s Content Analysis method. The results suggest that the sample was able to identify the central pillars of PC: symptom control, family support, communication and teamwork. However, there was still a strong negative social stigma associated with PC, as well as some misconceptions about the scope of this care.

Palavras-chave : dementia; palliative care; formal caregiver.

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