Nursing's Contribution to the Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Alzheimer Patients

Objective: The idea is to prompt reflection on nursing intervention in caring for the caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease, based on a literature review that addresses the different aspects of the quality of life enjoyed by this population. Method: A review of scientific and academic literature was conducted, featuring 40 articles published between 2000 and 2011 in databases (ISI Web of Science, SciELO, Medline, Pubmed, ScienceDirect and Ovid) and the results of Google Scholar. Results: The review showed the chief physical, psychological, social and spiritual elements that contribute to the caregiver's quality of life, particularly in the subjective realm. Conclusions: The quality of life of a family caregiver of a patient with Alzheimer's disease is determined by the objective and subjective conditions that make up the concept. Nursing has the potential to participate, not only from the standpoint of clinical and community practice, but also through roles in education, research and public policy.