KNOWLEDGE AND BURDEN OF THE MAIN CAREGIVER OF A DEPENDENT ELDERLY PERSON

Summary

INTRODUCTION: Caregivers are in charge of providing support for the basic needs of the elderly. OBJECTIVE: To determine the knowledge and overload in the main caregiver of a dependent elderly person in the municipality of San Gil Santander. MATERIALS AND METHODS: the study was descriptive, cross-sectional, the sample was made up of 50 informal caregivers, data collection was carried out using the instruments of demographic background, knowledge evaluation, Katz index to measure the degree of dependence on the older adult and the Zarit scale to analyze the level of burden in the caregiver. Results: The level of knowledge of the main caregivers of the elderly, it was found that 66% know the benefits of feeding, 68% have a severe disability and the caregivers present a slight overload in 34%. CONCLUSION: the caregivers presented a knowledge deficit in body mechanics techniques, stress management techniques and the importance of the use of personal protection elements, on the other hand, older adults had a severe dependency and the caregivers presented slight overload.