Sammanfattning Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva äldre änkors/änklingars uppfattningar kring det eventuella stöd som erbjudits eller saknats dem, samt övriga underlättande faktorer under perioden de vårdade sin livspartner i hemmet.   Metoden som användes var kvalitativ och datainsamlingen bestod av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Informanterna var 4 kvinnor och 2 män i åldern 60-79 år med anknytning till anhörigcenter, ett kommunalt stöd för anhörigvårdare. Data analyserades med manifest innehållsanalys enligt Graneheim och Lundman (2004). Analysen identifierade två teman; Uppfattningar kring stöd från samhället, släkt och vänner samt Övriga underlättande faktorer.   Resultatet gav sex kategorier som informanterna framhöll som viktiga; Känsla av stöttning, Praktisk assistans, Information, Fokus på anhörigvårdaren, Upplevelse av hur den närstående mår, samt; Miljöombyte. I huvudsak visar resultatet på vikten av information och tillvägagångssättet som information ges på. Även samtalsterapi och en kontaktperson knuten till offentlig sektor efterfrågas för att underlätta i anhörigvårdarens vardag. Vidare är stöd som bidrar till att bibehålla ett socialt och varierande liv av stor vikt.   Slutsatsen är att de före detta anhörigvårdarna påverkas mycket av känslan av att de fått direkt eller indirekt stöd. Denna känsla är till stor del kopplad till vilket bemötande och vilken information som getts från i första hand offentlig sektor. Väsentliga skillnader för anhörigvårdarna kan därför uppnås med relativt små medel. / Bodin, A. (2013) Elderly informal caregivers perception about support and other relieving factors. Bachelor’s thesis in public health. The faculty of health and occupational studies, University of Gävle, Sweden.   Abstract The purpose of this study was to describe widow’s/widower’s perception of the support they had been offered or missing from society and relatives/friends during their time as informal caregiver to their spouse. The purpose was also to describe other possible relieving factors.   The method used was qualitative semi structured interviews that were held with 4 women and 2 men. Data was analyzed according to Graneheim & Lundman (2004). Two themes were identified; “Experiences of support from society, relatives and family” and “Other relieving factors”.   The main results showed that the way information is given is important both when it comes to approach and procedure. A contact person is desirable. Support that benefits the informal caregiver’s social life is highly appreciated by the informants.   The conclusion is that the feeling of support is crucial and is connected to the way personnel is treating the informal caregiver. The ideal solution could proposedly be for the society to introduce a long-term course, giving adequate information and discussing the majority of aspects of being an informal caregiver, such as care, the spouse’s state of ill-health and how to preserve your own quality of life.

Advances in medical technologies and changing philosophies of health care have led to a rapid increase in home-based care for children with disabilities. While there are cost savings for health services if children are cared for at home there are extensive additional demands on the time and resources of parents, particularly primary caregivers, who are usually mothers. Previous studies have shown that parents caring for children with disabilities experience considerable stress and increased rates of mental health problems. The present dissertation investigated the impact of caring on the daily lives of parents and in particular, a model proposing factors contributing to parental psychological, social and health outcomes. A preliminary qualitative study found time demands to be a core theme when discussing the consequences of caring, and when describing tasks of caring. A second, larger scale quantitative study focused on assessing the time constraints facing parents of children with developmental disabilities. Participants were 95 primary caregivers (mostly mothers) and 65 secondary caregivers (mostly fathers) of children (mean age = 4½ years) with developmental disabilities who were clients of the Early Childhood Service, part of Disability Services SA. Children‟s diagnoses included global developmental delay, Down syndrome, and autism. Caring and other activities of parents were assessed using a 24 hour pre-coded time-use diary. Parents also completed questionnaires measuring characteristics of child disability; their experience of time pressure and partner support; and psychological, social and physical well-being. Examination of time-use diaries found parents of children with disabilities spent more time in “active” rather than “passive” caring tasks, than parents of children in the general community. As well, they spent less time in personal care, and less time in recreational activities. Intensity of caring, rather than total time caring was correlated with reports of daily stress for primary caregivers. Patterns of caring and non-caring activities carried out by primary caregivers on weekdays and weekend days differed from those undertaken by secondary caregivers, reflecting gender differences in parenting roles. Analysis of questionnaire data showed children to have high levels of emotional and behavioural problems. Parents (particularly primary caregivers) had significantly poorer psychological, social and physical health outcomes than normative samples. Feelings of time pressure had a stronger association with parental depression than actual time spent caring. Further, testing of the model showed time pressure and partner support to be potential mechanisms by which caring for a child with a disability may lead to poor parental mental health. It is suggested that professionals providing early intervention services need a greater awareness of the constraints of the caring role undertaken by parents, together with the key role played by feelings of time pressure and partner support in contributing to the mental health of parents of children with disabilities. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1346851 / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, 2008

<p>Antalet personer med demenssjukdomar ökar i takt med att befolkningen blir allt äldre och en stor del av vården av personer med demenssjukdom utförs av anhöriga. För att kunna stödja anhörigvårdare är det viktigt att sjuksköterskor har kunskap om hur anhöriga upplever sin situation. Syftet med studien var att beskriva anhörigas upplevelse av att vårda personer med demenssjukdom. För att besvara syftet har en litteraturstudie genomförts där 12 kvalitativa artiklar analyserats. Ur analysen framkom sju teman: Upplevelse av stress, svårigheter och otillräcklighet, Upplevelse av sorg och förlust, Upplevelse av förändrade relationer och roller, Upplevelse av förpliktelse, Upplevelse av välbefinnande, Upplevelse av stöd, samt Upplevelse av att bemästra och skapa mening i sin situation. Resultatet i denna studie kan bidra till en ökad förståelse för hur anhörigvårdare upplever sin situation, något som erfordras för att sjukvården skall kunna erbjuda anhöriga som vårdar personer med demenssjukdom ett adekvat stöd.</p> / <p>The number of people with dementia is increasing whilst the population gets older.  A great part of the care is provided by relatives. In order to support family caregivers’ nurses are required to obtain knowledge about how relatives perceive their situation. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of relatives providing care for persons with dementia. To answer the purpose a literature study was made where 12 qualitative articles were analyzed.  Findings illustrates seven themes: The experience of stress, difficulties and inadequacy, The experience of grief and loss, The experience of changing relationships and roles, The experience of obligation, The experience of wellbeing, The experience of support, and finally The experience of coping and making sense of the situation. The result of this study could contribute to an increased understanding of how family caregiver’s experience their situation. This is required in order to offer relatives who provide care for a person with dementia an adequate support.</p>

<p>Alzheimers sjukdom påverkar både patienten och den som vårdar honom eller henne. En anhörig vårdar ofta patienten och det har visat sig att de är utsatta för olika svårigheter.  Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva anhörigas upplevelser av att vårda en familjemed­lem med Alzheimers sjukdom. Metoden som användes för att besvara syftet var att göra en litteraturstudie enligt Polit och Becks (2004) beskrivning av genomförandet av en litteratur­studie. Dataanalysen skedde med kvalitativ ansats genom att artiklarna lästes igenom nog­grant och gemensamheter och mönster bland anhörigvårdares upplevelser söktes. Studiens resultat baserades på åtta veten­skapliga artiklar från vilka fem teman framkom. Resultatet visade att många anhörigvår­dare upplevde en förlust av relationer. De saknade relationen både med patienten och med vänner. De tyckte även att det var viktigt att ha fritid och tid för sig själva, vilket ofta var svårt att åstadkomma. Viljan till att söka ny kunskap blev stor när de tog på sig rollen som anhörigvårdare, och många upplevde olika lidanden och besvär såsom skuld och de­pression. Upplevelserna i resultatet åskådliggjorde att en stor del av de anhöriga inte kände välbefinnande. Detta resultat pekar på vikten av att sjuksköterskor är medvetna om de upplevelser och känslor anhörigvårdare har.</p> / <p>Alzheimer’s disease afflicts both the patient and the person caring for him or her. A relative often provides care for the patient and it appears as though they are exposed to different adversities. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of relatives which care for a family member suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The method used to answer the aim was to do a literature review by using Polit and Becks (2004) description of how to make a literature review. The data analysis was made with a qualitative approach by reading the articles accurately and patterns among the experiences family caregivers have been sought. The results of the study are based on eight scientific articles. Five themes emerged from these articles. The results show that many family caregivers experienced a loss of relationships. They missed the relationship with the patient as well as the relationship with friends. They also thought that it was important to have leisure, which often is hard to accomplish. The desire to seek for new knowledge became large when they became family caregivers, and many of them experienced different sufferings and troubles such as guilt and depression. The results show that many of the relatives did not experience well-being. On account of this it is important that nurses know about the experiences and feelings family caregivers have.</p>

O avanço e a modernização tecnológica e farmacológica nos diversos campos de atenção a saúde, tem garantido a sobrevivência de muitas crianças, especialmente as que nascem ou são portadoras de distúrbios funcionais complexos. Entretanto, se por um lado estes avanços tecnológicos permitiram a sobrevivência de crianças com diferentes distúrbios fisiológicos, por outro, gerou crianças com necessidades especiais de saúde, como as estomizadas. A emergência da criança estomizada e seu crescimento no território nacional circunscreve a problemática do estudo, uma vez que para o atendimento das demandas de cuidados desta criança, é necessário transcender os cuidados habituais, uma vez que a criança estomizada requer cuidados específicos. Objeto de estudo: o cuidado familiar à criança com estomia intestinal no contexto domiciliar. Objetivos: descrever os locais e pessoas com quem os familiares cuidadores aprenderam a cuidar da criança com estomia intestinal, identificar as práticas de cuidados realizadas pelos cuidadores e discutir os desafios que os familiares cuidadores encontraram para atender as demandas de cuidados das crianças com estomias intestinais no domicilio. Acreditando que os familiares adquirem conhecimentos para cuidar das crianças com estomias a partir de sua interação com outros sujeitos no seu ambiente social, os alicerces teóricos deste estudo estão pautados na aprendizagem social de Vygotsky e no Cuidado Centrado na Família. Descrição metodológica: a pesquisa qualitativa foi desenvolvida segundo método criativo sensível, sendo implementadas as dinâmicas de criatividade e sensibilidade Mapa Falante e Corpo Saber no domicílio de seis grupos de familiares cuidadores. A análise de discurso francesa foi aplicada à interpretação e à explicação dos materiais empíricos emergentes do trabalho de campo. Resultados: O hospital, o ambulatório, o domicilio e o contexto societal, emergiram como locais de aprendizado dos familiares cuidadores, cuja mediação foi realizada por profissionais de saúde e pelas mães cuidadoras. A vivência diária dos familiares no cuidado a criança com colostomia e ileostomia, fizeram com que eles criassem novas possibilidades de cuidar através de tentativas, erros e acertos na busca por uma melhor qualidade de vida de seus filhos. Os desafios relacionados às dimensões subjetivas, da prática do cuidar, social e econômica representaram algumas das situações de enfrentamento vivenciadas pelos familiares. O estudo aponta a necessidade de repadronização dos cuidados, onde novos dispositivos tecnológicos de saúde sejam criados e disponibilizados para esta clientela. A falta desses dispositivos faz com que o familiar cuidador tenha a necessidade de adaptações no cuidado da criança a fim de tornar possível o atendimento das demandas relativas a cada etapa de seu desenvolvimento infantil. Além disso, novas políticas públicas de saúde devem ser pensadas a fim de atender integralmente às múltiplas demandas da criança portadora de colostomia ou ileostomia. / The advancement and technological modernization and pharmacology in the various fields of health care has ensured the survival of many children, especially those born or living with complex functional disorders. However, if on one hand these technological advances have enabled the survival of children with different physiological disorders, on the other, led children with special health care needs, as stomized. The emergence of child stoma and its growth in the country limited the problem of the study, in order to meet the demands of this child care, it is necessary to transcend the usual care, since the child stoma requires specific care. Object of study: family care for children with intestinal stoma in the home context. Objectives: To describe the places and people with whom the family caregivers learned to care for the child with intestinal stoma, identify care practices performed by caregivers and discuss the challenges that family caregivers found to meet the care demands of children with intestinal stomas in domicile. Believing that family members acquire knowledge to care for children with ostomies from its interaction with other individuals in their social environment, the theoretical foundations of this study are guided by the social learning of Vygotsky and the Family Centered Care. Methodological description: a qualitative research was developed according to sensitive creative method, being implemented dynamics of creativity and sensitivity Speaker Map and Body Know at home six groups of family caregivers. The French discourse analysis was applied to the interpretation and explanation of materials emerging empirical fieldwork. Results: The hospital, the ambulatory, the household and societal context emerged as places of learning of family caregivers, whose mediation was conducted by health professionals and by caring mothers. The daily life of the family in the care of children with colostomy and ileostomy caused them to create new possibilities to care through trials, errors and successes in the search for a better quality of life for their children. The challenges related to the subjective dimensions of care practice , social and economic accounted for some of the situations experienced by families coping . The study points to the need for care repatterning, where new technological devices health are created and made available for this clientele. The lack of these devices makes the family caregiver has the need for adjustments in child care in order to make it possible to meet the demands for each stage of your child's development . In addition, new public health policies should be designed to fully meet the multiple demands of children with colostomy or ileostomy.

Bakgrund: Enligt WHO drabbas ungefär tio miljoner människor av demens varje år varav 60 till 70 procent av Alzheimers sjukdom. I Sverige är upp emot var femte vuxen en regelbunden informell vårdgivare till någon i sin omgivning. Informell vård innebär den omsorg som närstående ger till vårdtagaren. Behovet av närståendes närhet ökar ofta under insjuknandet i Alzheimers sjukdom. Sjuksköterskan har en hälsofrämjande och sjukdomsförebyggande funktion och har en roll som rådgivare där denne vägleder vårdtagare och deras närstående. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa närståendes upplevelser kring vårdandet av familjemedlemmar med Alzheimers sjukdom. Metod: En litteraturöversikt genomfördes där tio artiklar med kvalitativ design granskades och analyserades enligt Friberg. Dessa artiklar framkom ur databaserna Cinahl Complete, Pubmed, Medline och PsykINFO. Sökord som användes var ”Alzheimers disease”, ”experience”, ”relatives” och ”family”. Resultat: Fyra huvudteman konstruerades. Transitionen från närstående till att bli vårdgivare, här framkom det att närstående upplevde maktlöshet, tvivel och en förlust av autonomi. Älta det förflutna och känna oro för framtiden, närstående upplevde en känsla av oro inför framtiden både för vårdtagaren och dem själva. Upplevelsen av stigmatisering och isolering, närstående upplevde att de blev isolerade och kände av en stigmatisering i samhället. Att förlora samhörigheten och stärka den, närstående belyste att relationen med vårdtagaren förändrades till följd av sjukdomens inverkan.  Diskussion: Resultatet diskuterades utifrån Callista Roys teori om adaption. Diskussionen fördes kring hur upplevelserna hos närstående kan förstås utifrån denna teori och det som framkom i resultatet. Närstående genomgår en övergång till att bli en vårdgivare och befinner sig i en föränderlig miljö där adaption eftersträvas för att finna en balans i livet. En diskussion fördes kring sjuksköterskans roll i samspelet med närstående. / Background: According to WHO, approximately ten million people are affected by dementia each year, of which 60 to 70 percent are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. In Sweden, every fifth adult is an informal caregiver to someone in their environment. Informal care involves the care that relatives give to their care recipient. At the onset of Alzheimer's disease, the need of closeness to the relatives often increases. The nurse has a health promoting and disease preventing function and has a role as an adviser in which he/she guides the care recipient and their relatives. Aim: The aim was to illustrate the experiences of relatives in caring for family members with Alzheimer´s Disease.  Method: A literature review was conducted where ten articles of qualitative design were examined and analyzed according to Friberg. These articles came from the databases Cinahl Complete, Pubmed, Medline and PsychInFO. Keywords used were "Alzheimers Disease", "Experience," "Relatives," and "Family." Results: Four main themes were constructed. The transition from relative to becoming a caregiver, here it emerged that relatives experienced powerlessness, doubt and a loss of autonomy. Dwelling on the past and Feeling worried about the future, relatives experienced a sense of concern for the future both for the care recipient and for themselves. The experience of stigmatization and isolation, relatives felt that they were isolated and felt stigma in society. The loss of togetherness and strengthen it, relatives explained that the relationship with the care recipient changed as a result of the effect of the disease.  Discussion: The results was discussed based on Callista Roys theory of adaptation. The discussion was conducted in relation to how the experiences of relatives can be understood based on this theory, and other findings that emerged from the results. Relatives undergo a transition to becoming a caregiver and are in a changing environment where adaptation is sought to find a balance in life. A discussion was held about the nurse's role in the interaction with relatives.

OBJECTIVES: This dissertation was divided into two studies. The aim of the first study was to investigate whether there is an association between diet quality of preschool children and their caregivers. The aim of the second study was to examine the relationship of children diet quality and dental caries risk. METHODS: The study utilized a longitudinal population-based data of a representative sample of low-income African American families in Detroit, Michigan. Analyses were limited to 522 children aged 3-5 years old and their primary caregivers. For caregivers, dietary histories were obtained at wave I using the Block 98.2 food frequency questionnaire. For children, dietary histories were obtained at wave I and wave II using the Block Kids Food Questionnaire. Healthy Eating Index-2005 was used to evaluate overall diet quality. Dental caries in primary teeth were measured by the ICDAS criteria. The mean number of decayed surfaces (noncavitated and cavitated), missing, and filled surfaces for each child was estimated. Statistical analyses were conducted using SAS 9.4 and STATA 14 to account for the complex sampling design. RESULTS: The first study found that the mean total HEI-2005 scores were 57.47 for caregivers at wave I, 56.04 for children at wave I, and 57.39 for children at wave II indicating that the diet quality of this population needs improvement. Significant, positive relationship was found between caregivers-child overall diet quality at wave I (β=0.35; p <0.0001) and wave II (β=0.31; p <0.0001). The second study found that children who had high diet quality or improved their diet quality throughout the study period had significantly lower dental caries incidence compared to those with low diet quality scores (IRR = 0.59 and 0.55, respectively) (CI = 0.36-0.96 and 0.35-0.86 , respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that caregiver’s and children’s diet quality are associated. Therefore, caregiver’s diet quality should be considered in efforts to improve diets of their children. Additionally, preschooler children in our study with improved diet quality showed lower caries incidence. These results suggest that strategies and intervention to prevent dental caries among children should focus on improving overall diet quality. / 2018-09-28T00:00:00Z

L’obiettivo della ricerca è stato quello di indagare le esperienze delle persone e delle famiglie che stanno vivendo le prime fasi della demenza all’esordio, con lo scopo di comprendere come potrebbero essere forniti aiuti specifici per sostenere le persone, con i loro particolari bisogni, proprio in questa prima e delicata fase della malattia. Considerato il suo campo di indagine e il suo oggetto, tale ricerca si è prestata particolarmente all’applicazione di una metodologia di ricerca di tipo partecipativo. La ricerca infatti ha visto coinvolti attivamente in tutto il processo di ricerca i soggetti che hanno un’esperienza di vita diretta, personale o legata al loro lavoro quotidiano, del fenomeno da studiare. Sono stati utilizzati lo strumento dell’intervista semi-strutturata e del diario per indagare il punto di vista dei caregiver familiari e degli anziani affetti da deterioramento cognitivo e/o demenza in fase iniziale. I risultati ottenuti, molteplici ed eterogenei, hanno permesso di comprendere sia i vissuti dei caregiver familiari sia dei soggetti che in prima persona affrontano la malattia. Tali risultati sono stati divisi per aree tematiche, proponendo delle mappe concettuali: sei che si focalizzano sul punto di vista dei caregiver, quattro che focalizzano l’attenzione sul vissuto degli anziani. I risultati permettono di comprendere il significato che ha il prendersi cura per il caregiver e il ricevere assistenza per l’anziano; gli atteggiamenti e le emozioni di entrambi riguardo la malattia e gli aspetti legati ad essa; il ruolo della famiglia e di altre figure significative in questa situazione; il rapporto con i servizi e le modalità con cui le famiglie affrontano questo problema. / The research aim was to investigate the experiences of people and families who are experiencing the early stages of dementia, in order to understand which specific helps could be provided to support people, with their particular needs, in this first and delicate phase of the disease. Considering its field of investigation and its object, this research has been particularly suited to the application of the participatory research methodology. The research in the entire research process has actively involved people who have a direct, personal or job-connected experience of the disease. Tools as a semi-structured interview and a diary has been used to investigate the point of view of family caregivers and their elderly relatives with cognitive impairment. The results obtained have been multiple, heterogeneous and allowed us to understand the experiences of the family caregivers and of the subjects who face the disease directly. These results have been divided by different areas and have been organized using concept maps. Six maps have been focusing on the point of view of the caregivers and four maps focusing on the experience of the elderly. The results allowed the researcher to understand different elements: what caring means for the caregivers and what to be assisted means for the elderly with cognitive impairment; the attitudes and emotions of both players about the disease; the role of the family and other significant figures in this situation; the relationship with the services and how families face this problem.

Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender formas de ser cuidadora de idosos a partir das histórias de vida de cuidadoras residentes no município de Farroupilha. O referencial teórico para este estudo baseou-se nos conceitos relacionados à velhice, redes de apoio, trabalho, cuidador e políticas. Foram entrevistadas 03 mulheres que cuidam de mães dependentes, tendo as cuidadoras idade superior a 50 anos e suas mães com idade superior a 80. Ao longo desta pesquisa, deu-se voz a fala das cuidadoras, procurando identificar a rede de apoio por elas acionadas, bem como os principais sentimentos presentes na relação do cuidado. Foi empregada a técnica das Histórias de Vida, podendo destacar como principais temas abordados pelas entrevistadas a rotina, rede de apoio formal e informal, trabalho, sentimentos presentes no cuidado. Este material foi analisado a partir da proposta de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados mostram a importância da rede na vida das cuidadoras, destacando a subdivisão entre rede formal e informal de apoio. Foi possível perceber que a rede de apoio informal surge de forma espontânea para suprir deficiências ainda presentes na rede formal. Quanto à rotina, esta serve como fator organizador das atividades do dia das cuidadoras, não sendo possível definir se quem determinou a rotina atual foi a cuidadora ou a mãe. Em relação ao trabalho, as cuidadoras lidaram de maneiras distintas em relação a este. Há uma ligação íntima entre o trabalho formal e a atividade de ser cuidadora. Ser cuidadora influenciou as filhas tanto no momento da saída do trabalho quanto na retomada do mesmo. Frente a estas realidades verificamos que embora algumas ações já estejam acontecendo, muito ainda há para ser feito. A partir daí, pudemos propor ações e/ou políticas que possam vir a contribuir para que as cuidadoras de idosos consigam dar o suporte necessário para suas mães. / The purpose of this study was to understand some ways to be an elderly caregiver from histories of life of elderly caregivers residents in the city of Farroupilha. The theory for this study was based on the concepts related to the oldness, supporting nets, working, minders and policies. Three women had been interviewed whom are caregivers of dependent mothers, the formers being more than 50 years and the mothers aged over 80 years. Throughout this research, voice was given to the keepers, trying to identify the supporting net they set, as well as the main feelings related to the people they look after. The technique of Histories of Life was used, can be detach as the main subjects taking by the interviewed the routine, the formal and informal supporting net, working, feelings to the people they look after. This material was analysed based on the proposal of analysis of content. The results show the importance of the net for the caregivers life, detaching the subdivision between formal and informal supporting net. It was possible to perceive that the informal supporting net appears spontaneously to cover deficiencies in the formal net. Regarding the routine, it works as an organizing factor for the daily activities of the caregivers, not being possible to define whether the actual routine was determined by the keeper or the mother. As for the work, the caregivers had dealt in different ways. There is a close relation between the formal work and the activity of being a caregiver. Becoming a caregiver had influenced the daughter both when leaving the formal work and when retaken it. In front of this realities it is possible to notice that although some actions have already being taken, there is still a lot to be done. Starting from there, it was possible to consider some actions and/or policies that can eventually contribute to the elderly caregivers to obtain the necessary support for their mothers.

O envelhecimento populacional é um processo universal, que não afeta apenas o indivíduo, mas também a família e a sociedade. No Brasil, o número de idosos está crescendo, o que torna necessário discutir sobre o exercício do cuidado destinado ao sujeito idoso, sobretudo o hospitalizado, bem como as perspectivas que este possui a respeito de si mesmo, dos familiares e dos profissionais cuidadores. O objetivo geral desta pesquisa qualitativa consistiu, assim, em conhecer e compreender a percepção do sujeito idoso hospitalizado a respeito de si mesmo e dos cuidadores familiares e profissionais. Foram sujeitos da pesquisa 19 idosos hospitalizados, com 60 anos ou mais, capazes de responder às questões aplicadas oralmente, a partir de um roteiro prévio, após várias observações, no período de 2007 e 2008, numa instituição hospitalar privada do RS. Tais respostas foram analisadas com base nas seguintes noções: conceitos e preconceitos relativos ao sujeito idoso; o autocuidado e o cuidado prestado por familiares e profissionais; perda de autonomia e institucionalização: a relação do idoso com o profissional cuidador; profissionais cuidadores da área da saúde; o profissional cuidador e a profissional cuidadora: a desigualdade entre os gêneros; qualidade de vida e saúde dos profissionais "cuida(dores)"; o surgimento dos hospitais; a ética, o SUS e as políticas públicas de saúde do idoso. Por meio da análise dos conteúdos, chegou-se a quatro categorias, definidas pelas respostas e não pelas questões: 1) "o idoso fala sobre si e sua doença"; 2) "a percepção do idoso com relação ao cuidador: os âmbitos familiar e profissional"; 3) "percepção do idoso em relação à instituição hospitalar"; 4) "percepção do idoso com relação aos seus direitos e deveres". A partir das respostas analisadas, concluiu-se que muitos sujeitos idosos não tinham clareza sobre a "sua" patologia; verificou-se a esperança em relação à vida e à cura de sua doença geralmente associada à religiosidade e à fé; esteve presente, ainda, a preocupação de se constituir um paciente permanente, com dependência irreversível dos medicamentos ou dos "cuida(dores)", perdendo, assim, a sua autonomia como sujeito. Em relação à instituição, embora tenha se constatado um atendimento ético e parcimonioso, nem sempre isso foi evidenciado pelos sujeitos idosos. O idoso com patologias graves referiu sentir-se mais seguro no hospital por ter ali o apoio técnico indispensável, preferindo, nessa ocasião, o cuidador profissional. Apesar da intenção explícita nas políticas públicas em considerar o idoso como sujeito em uma nova fase de vida, com necessidades e cuidados específicos, verificou-se que os direitos dos idosos ainda são desconhecidos pela sociedade e por eles próprios. A geriatria, a gerontologia e os novos conceitos delas decorrentes não alcançaram, ainda, todos os profissionais cuidadores de idosos, e menos ainda os seus familiares. Daí a urgência de um processo educativo e educador em torno do novo paradigma que busca, entre outras coisas, "pagar uma dívida" para com os idosos e resgatar o sujeito que a modernidade relegou a um lugar periférico e de invisibilidade. / The population ageing is a universal process that does not affect only the individual, but also the family and the community. In Brazil, the number of senior citizens is increasing and because of that it is necessary to discuss about the care of the elderly, especially the hospitalized one, as well as to reflect about their perspectives concerning themselves, the family and the professional caregivers. The goal of this qualitative research was to identify and to comprehend the perception of the hospitalized senior citizen concerning themselves, their family and the professional caregiver. The research subjects were 19 hospitalized senior citizens - 60 years old or more - who were able to answer the oral interviews, which were performed, based on a previous script and after several observations, in the period of 2007 and 2008, in a private hospital in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The criteria used to subdivide the analysis in four categories were defined by the answers and not by the questions. Here they are: Talking about the senior citizens: some concepts and prejudices; The auto-care and the care rendered by family and professionals; Loss of autonomy and institutionalization: the relationship between the elder and the caregiver; Professional caregiver in the health area; From the female caregiver to the male one: the inequality between the genders; Life quality and the caregiver’s health; The hospitals beginning; Ethics and public health policies for the elderly. By the analysis of the contents, four categories were identified: first - "the elder speaks about himself and his disease"; second - "the perception of the elder regarding the caregiver: the familiar and professional scope"; third - "the perception of the elder regarding the hospital institution"; fourth - "the perception of the elder regarding their rights and duties." Based on the analysis realized, it was possible to conclude that many senior citizens did not have clearness about their pathology; the hope regarding life and the cure of the disease was almost associated to the religiosity and faith; the preoccupation of being a permanent patient, with irreversible dependence of medicines or caregivers, losing, thus, their autonomy. Considering the institution, although it was verified an ethical and parsimonious assistance, it was not always evidenced by the senior citizens. The ones with serious pathologies affirm to feel safer in hospital because of its indispensable technical support, desiring, so, the professional caregiver. Besides the explicit intention in the public policies of considering the senior citizen someone in a new phase of life, with specific needs and cares, it was not always verified, making it possible to believe that the rights of the elderly are still unknown by society and also themselves. The geriatrics and gerontology specialties and their new concepts have not reached, yet, all the senior caregivers or families. From that situation, there is the urgency of an educational process around the new paradigm that aims, among other things, to "pay a debt" to the senior citizen, rescuing the individual that modernity has relegated to a peripheral and invisible place.