The reactions of the family companion of hospitalized elderly facing stressful situations

Objectives: Characterizing the accompanying family member of hospitalized elderly; describing the family's reactions companion of hospitalized elderly forward to stressful situations; and discussing the possibilities of intervention of the nurse accompanying the family of the elderly. Method: A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study held in wards of a general hospital with 45 accompanying family members of hospitalized elderly. There were conducted semi-structured interviews and data were submitted to thematic analysis. The study was approved by the ethics committee. Results: The main reactions facing stressful situations: changes in eating habits, use of medicines for relaxation and insomnia and mood swings. For coping with stressful situations seek alternative leisure activities and attachment to religious practices. Conclusion: The accompanying family member of the elderly should also be the focus of nursing care during the hospitalization process, by supporting strategies and educational programs to preserve their health