Lung transplantation is a treatment for patients with end stage lung disease; they will not survive without such surgery. A caregiver is essential for a patient to become eligible for a lung transplant and the caregiver plays an essential role in the transplant recipient’s care both before and after transplant surgery. Most caregiver research has been conducted on caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or on elderly patients, however, it is important to examine caregivers’ experiences caring for other patient groups with disabling conditions. Caregivers of transplant recipients are one such group. The purpose of this qualitative study, using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, was to examine the lived experiences of caregivers of lung transplant recipients pre- and post-lung transplantation. The study used semi- structured, face to face, tape recorded in- depth interviews to document the experiences of a purposive sampling of 20 caregivers of lung transplant recipients. Interviews (English, Spanish) were transcribed verbatim and analyzed for emerging themes. The resulting 4 themes and 12 sub themes were: 1) Establishing the diagnosis; 2) Caregivers roles; 3) Caregivers psychological and psychosocial Issues; and 4) Support. The 12 sub themes were:1) Caregivers reaction to transplant option; 2) Caregivers’ lack of basic knowledge as related to lung transplant 3) Disease progression: Reality of unanticipated changes/fear of death; 4) Pre- transplant experiences; 5) Hospital course; 6) Home care; 7) Lifestyle changes and Social activities;8) Physical health and Emotional health ; 9) Financial and Employment issues;10) Family/Friends;11) Professional support; 12) Support groups. Study results demonstrated caregivers’ lack of knowledge about transplantation, dramatic changes in caregivers ‘family life, social activities, employment, and often financial status. Results also demonstrated a need for health care providers and policy makers to recognize caregivers’ stressful life changes and implement informational, psychological and emotional interventions and policies to assist these caregivers during their stressful and tedious experiences.

nÃo hà / A AtenÃÃo Domiciliar (AD) à uma aÃÃo potente para provocar mudanÃas na prÃtica dos profissionais da EstratÃgia SaÃde da FamÃlia (ESF) com vista à ampliaÃÃo da integralidade e torna-se necessÃria devido ao grande nÃmero de idosos e familiares/cuidadores que nÃo se sentem amparados pelo sistema/equipe de saÃde. Assim, objetivou-se analisar o cuidado oferecido pelas equipes da ESF de Sobral, CearÃ, as famÃlias de idosos com comprometimento funcional na AD atravÃs das perspectivas de idosos, cuidadores e profissionais. Esta pesquisa à de abordagem qualitativa do tipo exploratÃria, o campo de pesquisa foi os territÃrios de seis Centros de SaÃde da FamÃlia da sede do municÃpio de Sobral, a coleta de informaÃÃes foi desenvolvida no perÃodo de setembro de 2014 a marÃo de 2015. Os sujeitos do estudo foram vinte e oito profissionais da equipe mÃnima da ESF, sessenta e dois idosos que recebem AD, dos quais treze apresentaram dependÃncia na realizaÃÃo das Atividades da Vida DiÃria segundo Ãndice de Katz e possuÃam capacidade cognitiva preservada de acordo com o Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), alÃm de sessenta familiares/cuidadores. Para a coleta de informaÃÃes utilizou-se a entrevista semiestruturada e o grupo focal. A proposta de anÃlise do material escolhida foi à codificaÃÃo temÃtica segundo Uwe Flick (2009) e a triangulaÃÃo de mÃtodos proposta por Minayo, Assis e Sousa (2005). Adotaram-se as recomendaÃÃes Ãticas para pesquisa envolvendo seres humanos obtendo a aprovaÃÃo no Comità de Ãtica em Pesquisa da Universidade Estadual Vale do AcaraÃ. Foram observadas diferentes percepÃÃes e sentimentos sobre a AD entre os sujeitos envolvidos, nesse sentido, a relaÃÃo entre o profissional, idoso e famÃlia assume um papel central em todo o processo de cuidado. Outra caracterÃstica presente foi à dinamizaÃÃo de parcerias entre a equipe multiprofissional atravÃs da comunicaÃÃo e contribuiÃÃo das categorias para o plano de cuidados. Com relaÃÃo ao apoio/suporte à famÃlia pela equipe identificou-se uma rede de apoio frÃgil, na qual o cuidado à sà para o idoso, uma relaÃÃo de dependÃncia, onde os papÃis nÃo estÃo bem definidos, sendo necessÃrio potencializar estratÃgias e ferramentas de estÃmulo à autonomia e corresponsabilizaÃÃo. / Home Nursing (HN) is a powerful action to bring about changes in the practice of professionals in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in order to expand integrality, which has become necessary due to the large number of elderly people and family members/caregivers who do not feel supported by the health system/team. Thus, the aim was to analyze the care offered by the FHS teams in Sobral, CearÃ, to the families of elderly people with functional impairment in HN through the perspective of the elderly people, caregivers and professionals. This research has qualitative approach of exploratory nature, the field of research was the territories of the six Family Health Centers within the municipality of Sobral, collection of information was conducted in the September 2014 to March 2015 period. The subjects of the study were twenty-eight professionals from the FHS core team, and sixty-two elderly people who receive HN, the latter including thirteen people who presented dependence on the fulfillment of Activities of Daily Living according to the Katz index and had preserved cognitive function in accordance with The MiniâMental State Examination (MMSE), in addition to the sixty family members/caregivers. A semi-structured interview and group focus were used for the collection of information. The data analysis proposal chosen was theme coding according to Uwe Flick (2009) and the triangulation of methods proposed by Minayo, Assis and Sousa (2005). Ethical guidelines for research involving human subjects were adopted with approval from the State University Vale do Acaraà Research Ethics Committee. Different perceptions and feelings on HN among the subjects involved were observed, in this sense, the relationship between the professional, the elderly person and the family assumes a central role in the whole care process. Another feature was the development of partnerships with the multi-professional team through communication and contribution from the categories for the care plan. Regarding support for the family by the team, a fragile support network was identified, in which the care is only for the elderly person, with a relationship of dependence, where the roles are not well-defined, and a need to strengthen strategies and tools to promote self-sufficiency and joint responsibility.