Therapeutic itinerary of elderly in mental suffering and her family

Abstract

This article aims at understanding the core of family care and trajectory of searches for care, which makes up the Therapeutic Itinerary (TI) of an elderly in chronic psychological distress and her family. Case study of a family that experiences a chronic condition of elderly in psychological distress. To seize this experience the Focal Life History technique was used carried out through In-Depth Interview. For data organization and analysis, the drawing of the genogram and trajectory of searches for care, which composes the IT, was applied. The analysis revealed that the family is organized in clusters to manage the care of elderly care rotated through the stressful situation of the primary caregiver. The search for various professionals of the same specialty appears to result from low resolvability facing the patient’s symptoms of psychological distress, which was persistent and increased with the time. It was concluded that the professional care rendered to the elderly was limited to diagnostic interventions and / or drug-treatment for the symptoms, isolating her from the context of her life and family. It was also noticed the difficulty of the professionals in diagnosing something as subjective as psychological distress and deal with its repercussions in the family.