Estrategias de afrontamiento adaptativas del cuidador de pacientes con Alzheimer.

Abstract

Coping is one of the most important elements for the quality of life in human beings allowed to deal with stress produced by situations that get rid of the emotional resources of persons; this qualitative research explores the type of coping that shows two informal caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease in front of the functions of their role, evaluating the adaptation process that is carried out for this role, evaluating personal, social and economic affectations that this process entails and the type of tools and strategies that are used to make said process successful. This study involves the application of a semi-structured interview, a life history format and a non-participant observation format implemented with each of the caregivers, finding that adaptation in the caregiver role, especially affects the physical and psychological health, beside social and economic areas of the person; results show a significant presence of coping strategies such as confrontation, planning and the search for social support that facilitates the adaptation to the stressful situations that generates the fulfillment of the caregiver's functions.