Family care for the elderly person with loss of autonomy A theoretical field study on a sample of families in Algiers

Abstract

This study was intended identify the reality of family care for elderly persons with loss of autonomy, and reveal the most important obstacle that the family in their mission of care. The population pyramid of Algeria has recently changed as a result of social and economic transformation and accelerated scientific developments, as the proportion of the elderly has increased but this number of population should not be observed only demographic, but a phenomenon with psychological and social, health characteristics, Which leads to various changes, as a result of the gradual lack of physical, mental and psychological capabilities of this group, and this leads to a loss of autonomy for the elderly group. The elderly are the main concern of the family, because they’re the ones who take care of themselves, whatever their state of health. To achieve the objectives of the study, we used descriptive analysis of interviews with family members; we made home visits with a professional team in a Reception Centre for the elderly in the municipality of Haidra in Algiers.  As a result, we concluded that different family members contribute in part to care, but they depend on one person for various aspects of care, this person is often a woman, the wife or daughter or son’s wife which negatively affects their psycho-sociological capacities, because of difficulty of treating certain diseases that require long term care.