FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF PATIENTS UNDER PALLIATIVE CARE AT HOME AND HOSPITAL: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Aim: to know the scientific production of a qualitative approach on family caregivers of patients under palliative care at home and in hospital. Methods: this is an integrative literature review, performed with descriptors palliative care, hospice care, caregivers, family caregivers, home care services, hospitals and hospital in the MEDLINE/PubMed Central and Web of Science.Results: family caregivers of patients under palliative care face different realities in the home and hospital settings. In hospital environments is necessary to advance in order to shelter better the individuals with diseases which put in danger their lives and families, once that only a few positive aspects and benefits were discussed. At home environment, several carers have reported that they would not know how to deal with the care demands of an individual and have shown difficulty in accepting the role of carer which was imposed. Conclusion: the family carers are not the main aim of actions ofhealth teams, being integrated to palliative cares much more often as agents to obtain the wellbeing of the sick individual.