Home caregiver: why do I do it?

Abstract

This is a qualitative study on home care by caregivers in Contagem, State of Minas Gerais, from August 2003, to June 2005. It describes the home caregivers, the changes in their lives resulting from the care and aspects that facilitate or hinder the care. Home visits were made in order to collect data. Discourse analysis was used to build empirical categories. The caregivers, most of whom were women, live with the person receiving the care and are related. We conclude that the caregivers provide care with material, technical and emotional difficulties, in spite of the good sense and affective bond.