Life fades away, without memories and without possibilities

the experience of caregivers of people with dementia

Authors

Keywords:

Dementias, caregivers, phenomenology

Abstract

The aging of the Brazilian population brought, concomitantly, the appearance of new health conditions, among them, dementia. The nosological picture of dementia is broad, differentiated and surprising, as new questions arise at every moment. The presence of a caregiver is required, usually a family member, who is assigned and self-appointed this role. The objective of this study was to understand the perception of caregivers of elderly people with Frontotemporal Dementia or Pick's Disease, in addition to Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Vascular Dementia, in light of the phenomenological theory of Maurice Merleau-Ponty. It is a qualitative research where the phenomenological research method was used based on an audio-recorded interview based on a guiding question. 10 caregivers participated, 1 male and 9 female. Two categories composed of subcategories were identified: The unexpected knocks at the door and life is crossed by anguish: the experience of the unknown and the inherent difficulties; and Caring for the other and the pluridimensionality of being-with-the-other. It is concluded that the care expressed to the other with dementia goes through a series of changes in the existence of those who care for it and can even be the cause of profound existential suffering.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Gabriela da Silva Dias Costa, Federal University of Amazonas

Undergraduate student of the Psychology Course at the Faculty of Psychology at the Federal University of Amazonas. Member of the Academic League of Phenomenological-Existential Psychology – LAPFE. Member of the Research Group in Phenomenological-Existential Psychology certified by CNPq. Member of the Psychological Duty Extension Project in Public System Schools in Manaus. Member of the Phenomenological-Existential Psychology Laboratory – LABFEN. Email: diasgabriela14@gmail.com ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6937-6212

Gabriella Masulo Gomes, Federal University of Amazonas

Undergraduate student of the Psychology Course at the Faculty of Psychology at the Federal University of Amazonas. Research Director of the Academic League of Phenomenological-Existential Psychology – LAPFE. Member of the Research Group in Phenomenological-Existential Psychology certified by CNPq. Member of the Phenomenological-Existential Psychology Laboratory – LABFEN. Email: masulogabriella@gmail.com ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0290-798X

Ádria Pimentel Silva, Federal University of Amazonas

Undergraduate student of the Psychology Course at the Faculty of Psychology at the Federal University of Amazonas. Member of the Academic League of Phenomenological-Existential Psychology – LAPFE. Member of the Research Group in Phenomenological-Existential Psychology certified by CNPq. Member of the Psychological Duty Extension Project in Public System Schools in Manaus. Member of the Phenomenological-Existential Psychology Laboratory – LABFEN. Email: pimentel.adria16@gmail.com ORCID: https://orcid.org0000-0002-6275-0187.

Tagna Jacques da Mata, Federal University of Amazonas

Undergraduate student of the Psychology Course at the Faculty of Psychology at the Federal University of Amazonas. Member of the Academic League of Phenomenological-Existential Psychology – LAPFE. Member of the Research Group in Phenomenological-Existential Psychology certified by CNPq. Member of the Psychological Duty Extension Project in Public System Schools in Manaus. Member of the Phenomenological-Existential Psychology Laboratory – LABFEN. Email: tagna_jacques@hotmail.com ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5537-5529

Ewerton Helder Bentes de Castro, Federal University of Amazonas

Postdoctoral and PhD in Psychology from FFCLRP/USP. Associate Professor at the Faculty of Psychology/UFAM. Professor of the undergraduate course and the Graduate Program in Psychology (FAPSI/PPGPSI/UFAM). Leader of the Phenomenological-Existential Psychology Research Group (CNPq). Coordinator of the Phenomenological-Existential Psychology Laboratory (LABFEN/UFAM). Coordinator of the Extension Project Psychological duty in schools of the public education system in Manaus (FAPSI/UFAM. Scientific coordinator of the Academic League of Phenomenological-Existential Psychology – LAPFE (FAPSI/UFAM) E-mail: ewertonhelder@gmail.com Orcid: https ://orcid.org/0000-0003-2227-5278

Downloads

Published

2023-06-29

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2, jul-dez (2023): Temas Livres em Psicologia e Educação

Section

Artigos