Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To analyze attitudes of filial responsibility about the institutionalization of aged parents.
METHODS
A qualitative descriptive study with intentional sample of 100 caregivers of aged people from two Primary Health Care Units of Porto Alegre/Brazil. The information was collected in 2014, through a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was carried out. The NVIVO® software version 10 was used.
RESULTS
Two categories were elaborated according to the protocol questions: the possibility of institutionalization of the aged parents and expectation of care.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Most adult child caregivers did not consider the institutionalization of aged parents in the reason of a duty they felt to take care of their parents, and the institutionalization was considered as abandonment. Most of the adult child caregivers had an expectation to be cared by their children and perceived the institutionalization as an alternative of receiving this care. The results of the study contribute to the strengthening of the formal and informal network for the aged and their adult child caregiver.
Keywords:
Caregivers; Institutionalization; Attitude; Aged