Vivências de cuidadores familiares de pessoas dependentes e com câncer : uma análise existencial

Abstract

The care of a member of the family suffering from cancer and with a high degree of dependence in daily life activities is becoming a real challenge for many families. The main caregivers, family-integrated co-responsible members, face a series of stressing events due to changes which occur in their lives. It is highly important to analyze the experiences of these caregivers since there are existential aspects that should be revealed so that an integral and problem-solution assistance may be given to them. Current investigation reveals the meaning of taking care of the other, or rather, to the main familiar caregiver of a relative with cancer and dependent with regard to his/her daily activities. The qualitative research, based on Martin Heidegger´s existential phenomenology, comprised interviews with 17 caregivers of dependent family members with cancer and attended to by the Family Health Strategy of a municipality in the northwestern region of the state of Paraná, Brazil, between November 2012 and February 2013. The interviewed were asked: "How do you feel taking care of N.N. (name of the relative suffering from cancer)?" Analysis of the answers received followed Josgrilberg´s steps and participants were tagged with angels´ names for anonymity. Research was previously approved by the Committee for Ethics in Experiments on Human Beings of the State University of Maringá (435/2011). Two scientific articles were written from the analysis of results. The first was titled "The significance of being a caregiver to a family member with cancer and dependent: palliative contributions", with two ontological themes, namely, "The caregiver experiencing different dispositions and being-with-a-relative: from daily occupation to a concern for freedom". The other article titled "Being-a-caregiver of a dependent familial member with cancer: a look at temporality", with the following theme: "Revealing the temporality of living together with a cancer event at home". Among the disposition modes, the terror that primarily arose by the uniqueness of palliative therapeutics should be underscored. The above evidenced that family members should know and understand the finality of such assistance. Caregivers revealed themselves to be beings-with-the-other, passing from concern with daily vicissitudes to a freedom stance, showing that the association solicitude and overwork is possible. They remembered their strength and that of the beloved member, experiencing ekstasis for a few instances, foreseeing a promising future and modifying that very instance. It is expected that health professionals reflect on palliativeness as a supplementary therapy together with others, and embody such assistance in their daily activities so that they could practice a solicitous and authentic care to patients.