Implications on the Mental Health of Elderly Caregivers

An Urgent Need for Formal Support

Abstract

Providing care for dependent elderly at home is currently an increasingly common task from families who, in that setting, experience contexts of physical, financial and social fragility, in addition to implications on the mental health of the caregiver. This is an exploratory-descriptive study, performed with a qualitative approach. Based on the literature, the purpose of this study was to contribute with theoretical support to better understand who the caregiver of dependent aged people is, and what implications affect them. As a proposal, the article points at the importance of promoting public policies for care intervention to caregivers at different levels, providing an improvement of their wellbeing, preventing conflicts and stress, and promoting their safety while delivering care