Models of Care for Family Caregivers of Elderly Persons at the End of Life

Abstract

Introduction: The end of life of an elderly person is a life process whose care corresponds mainly to the family caregiver. Professional care is often focused on the person who most expresses his or her unmet human needs. However, although the family caregiver expresses his or her health problems, care is insufficient and detached from theory.
Objective: To design a theoretical model of care for the family caregiver of the elderly at the end of life.
Methods: A qualitative grounded theory study was carried out from January 2017 to January 2020. The study populations consisted of four specialists and four family caregivers who lived the experience of caring for an elderly person at the end of life. The sample was determined by nonprobabilistic sampling and theoretical saturation, and finally consisted of four specialists and four family caregivers who lived the caregiving experience. In-depth interview and discourse analysis were used as empirical methods, which allowed the construction of the coding paradigm.
Results: The model represents the ideal logic in the performance of actions as part of nursing practice through the application of the scientific method in the home setting during the care for the family caregiver of the elderly person at the end of life.
Conclusions: The coordination and subordination relationships among the elements of the model are described. Such elements are the consecutive and coherent actions during the nursing practice for the care of the family caregiver of the elderly person at the end of life.