Implantação de grupos de cuidadores familiares de idosos frágeis na rede pública de saúde Belo Horizonte

Abstract

Brazilian society, under the pressure of a rapidly aging population, demands governmental intervention attending to the need for adequate care and support for the elderly as well as for their families, these being the main caregivers for the elderly. The Care Qualification Project for the Fragile Elderly - PQCIF, 2009 of the Municipal Secretary of Healthcare of Belo Horizonte, with support from the Ministry of Health, aims to prepare primary health care professionals in order to improve setting up and aiding groups of family caregivers of frail elderly, with the aim of improving the health of the elderly and their caregiver. The present study seeks to analyze the implementation process of these groups in the Basic Health Units (UBS), discussing the limitations and possibilities of this work from the point of view of health care managers and technicians. The nine Health care Districts Managers as well as a random sample of 26 managers from UBSs and 26 health care professionals (facilitators) from 31 UBSs, which had been trained by PQCIF, from November 2009 to December 2013, participated in the present study. Caregivers groups were formed at 17 (55%) of USBs. For the managers a form with ten statements, placed on a Likert scale, was used. USB Managers and facilitators responded to an on-line questionnaire with 40 items, written on Google Drive Program. All nine-district managers agreed on theguiding principles of PQCIF but there was disagreement about statements regarding the infrastructure needed and liberating time for the facilitators to form groups at the UBSs. In respect to interviewed managers and facilitators, there was low variability in the responses given by the pairs and inconsistencies especially from units that did not form groups. The training of professionals and their participation in the Family Health Support Unit, forms of dissemination and community health agents visiting homes to invite for participation, influenced groupformation. Regarding infrastructure, the units that had meeting rooms, liberating time for to participate in activities as well as planning and reporting of training activities had a positive effect on the outcome. Monitoring of activities and positive feedback from the caregivers showedto have a positive effect on the UBSs, whether they had formed groups or not. The present study shows the effectiveness of the methodological strategies used in career training, joining techniques and active methodology, built together with the aid of technical and pedagogicalsupport. Educating to cause changes among subjects and at SUS, by forming groups of family caregivers of frail elderlies, depends on the synergistic action of managers and workers. In view of the need for better prepared services for the elderly and their families in Brazil and the effectiveness of career groups being recognized, the present study shows the importance of an appropriate infrastructure, mobilization and training of professionals with time made available, in order to stimulate career groups and these becoming an integrated part of public health care.