Síndrome da insuficiência familiar na pessoa idosa : caracterização de um fenômeno sistêmico multifacetado

Abstract

Aims: To identify the elements that characterize Family Insufficiency Syndrome (FIS) in elderly people living in the community. Method: Scope Review with a search for documents in Portuguese, English and Spanish in the PUBMED, SCOPUS, APA PSYCNET, CINAHL, LILACS and EMBASE databases, without restriction on year of publication. 467 identified studies had their titles and abstracts read, selecting 180 studies for full reading. After full reading, 79 studies were selected to compose the review. Results: from reading the selected documents, two book chapters (one published and one “in press”), an educational booklet for elderly people and their families and a scientific article (already submitted) summarizing the results were produced. The published chapter dealt with the possibilities for Psychology to act in situations of violence against elderly people. The chapter “in press” articulated FIS in the context of healthy aging. The booklet brought a fictional narrative of a family in the late stages of life, presenting circumstances expected in aging and strategies for managing some of its challenges. The submitted article, which summarizes the research results, proposed that social support in aging is influenced by dynamic systemic aspects that guide the elderly person expectations of support and their behaviors of seeking and accepting support. These expectations and behaviors also vary according to the type of required support and (corresponding) availabilities of those involved on such task. With a multifactorial etiology, FIS is characterized by the discrepancy between the demands of the elderly person and the provision of adequate social support, which may (or may not) exist. Support networks less responsive to the demands of the elderly do not activate when necessary or activate, but without providing support in the ideal quality and dimensions, which may compromise the exercise of their autonomy and independence. Conclusions: changes in macro-level population patterns affect different systemic dimensions of the elderly and contribute to the weakening of their social support. The identification of the elements that influence and characterize Family Insufficiency Syndrome will enable its adequate assessment and favor the development of effective interventions aimed at its management