Health care provided by children to elderly parents

Abstract

Objective: To identify the development of care provided by male children to elderly parents. Method: The choice of participants was made using the snowball technique. It started at the medical clinic of a teaching hospital in João Pessoa-PB and continued at the homes of other children. Results: The study included eleven participants, aged between 21 and 71 years. For the interviewees, becoming a caregiver was not a choice, but an imposition of circumstances. Most of the interviewees reported that they were unable to reconcile their studies and work, even giving up personal dreams and projects, remaining single, unemployed and living in their parents' homes. Regarding the health support network, weaknesses were observed in the perspective of transmitting knowledge and guidance to caregivers. Conclusion: The importance of greater investments by public health services in the instrumentalization of caregivers is emphasized, in order to provide adequate care to elderly parents.