[Caregivers' experiences in assisting elderly people with Alzheimer's disease in a family setting in Abidjan].

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease leads family members to resort to several types of care in order to eventually cure the patient. The aim of this study is to investigate the care practices used by families in Abidjan whose relative suffers from Alzheimer's disease, despite their lack of knowledge of the symptoms and care practices involved. This saturation procedure enabled us to gather information from 20 family carers, whose main role was to provide care for the patient. Five interviews were conducted over the telephone and 15 in the patients' or caregivers' homes. This enabled us to identify the ways in which families organize themselves to cope with illness: 1) social and symbolic practices; 2) economic resources; 3) family flexibility. This study highlights the family's capacity for resilience in the face of a member's illness.