Autocuidado e processo educativo de idosos com doenças crônicas não transmissíveis que demandam cuidados de enfermagem no domicílio

Abstract

The object of research was the self-care of elderly who lives with chronic non-communicable diseases and require nursing care at home, focusing on the educative process in nursing and health under the theme of education and health promotion developed by nurses in the context of multidisciplinary health care to elderly people. This study aimed to comprehend how the educative and therapeutic self-care actions may contribute to the autonomy of elderly people with chronic non-communicable diseases, aiming to identify their knowledge about the disease, its treatments, care for health promotion and complications prevention; identify the needings of health education for self-care from the perspective of elderly people who lives with chronic non-communicable diseases; understand how the elderly applies knowledge of health promotion and complications prevention of chronic diseases resulting from educative practices; and discuss about the contribution of nursing care in a multidisciplinary context in maintenance and self-care promotion in the area of elderly health care. It was adopted the methodological approach of Grounded Theory, which was developed in two stages, from November 2012 to December 2013, involving two different scenarios: outpatient from Geriatrics and Gerontology of a public teaching hospital in Minas Gerais, in which participants were selected, the home environment after selection and prior contact with them. Twelve elderly residents in the county seat of research were included. It was used the home visit with participant observation, recording notes in a field journal, semistructured interview and the OpenLogos ® program for textual editing of empirical data, which allows the encoding and interpretation. Thirty five codes emerged which comprised four categories: "Self-care of elderly patients with chronic non-communicable disease in the family context", "Becoming knowledgeable of yourself", "Therapeutic Education needs of elderly patients with chronic non-communicable disease" and "Support and assistance to the elderly with chronic non-communicable disease". The categories indicated that as the elderly develops a chronic illness, the need arises to learn to take care of themselves in the therapeutic context, at home. Given the experience to the elderly in the practice of their therapeutic self-care, it became evident the knowledge of this individual in which permeates aspects related to health promotion and prevention of disease injuries. Positive and negative situations experienced pointed to the need of therapeutic education and search for support and training for the elderly. In this dynamic movement, the guidelines for the elderly about their health and disease process have contributed for the achievements of self-care actions developed at home. The work of nurses through educative practices, the planning of individualized care, with a view to the support and education, helps elderly to become reflective and active in their therapeutic self-care.