PAP1131 - Forced changes: family response to Alzheimer in Portugal

As a general phenomenon in Europe, the phenomenon of ageing, as well as the associated increase in chronic disease, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in particular, also concern Portugal. This situation has considerable implications for families, often called upon to provide caring tasks. Focusing more specifically on adult children, the paper explores how, in a context of a high rate of female employment and low availability of services, adult children do experience and face the situation, both at the practical and symbolic levels. Drawing on qualitative interviews with adult children providing care to one of their parent with AD, we identify the main care arrangements set up by families. Confronted to the unexpected and demanding situation of caring for a parent suffering from AD, it is mostly one adult child who becomes the main carer. The care situation induces tremendous practical and emotional consequences and implies many adjustments for the carers. In Portugal family care is central, though often complementary to paid care. The analysis highlights how, in order to reconcile work and care, both demanding tasks, adult children set up a variety of care arrangements, combining most often informal and formal care, in and outside the house. Most carers have also a professional activity which induces many consequences for the carers, not only the daily family life, but also on social and professional life. However, results suggest that while working induces constraints, it is also a resource to face the caring situation.

Sanda Samitca, socióloga Suíça, bolseira pós-doc no Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa (ICS-UL). Os meus domínios de investigação têm sido desenvolvidos no quadro das questões do envelhecimento através do aprofundamento do conhecimento acerca dos padrões de cuidados existentes atualmente na sociedade portuguesa, em duas populações alvo: os idosos dependentes e os doentes de Alzheimer.