Transition of care for the elderly after cerebrovascular accidents--from hospital to the home.

OBJECTIVE to examine the transition of care in families caring for elderly persons who suffered the first episode of a cerebrovascular accident. METHODOLOGY an instrumental ethnographic case study was used. The sample comprised 20 subjects: 10 caregivers and 10 elderly persons aged 65 or over, of both sexes, with diagnoses of first episode of cerebrovascular accident, capable of communicating, and requiring care from a main carer in their family. The data was collected through interviews, observation, existing documentation and field notes. Qualitative analysis techniques were used to codify and classify the data and to formulate significant categories, which generated typologies of care. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The central idea was the Transition of Care and showed the context in three typologies: The care process for the dependent elderly person, Strategies for the care process and Impact and acceptance of the limitations. CONCLUSION The data indicates that caring for an elderly person after a cerebrovascular accident is a challenge for the family. The data permitted it possible to elaborate a proposal for a model for the organization of the work, with a view to holistic care delivery in the health services, forming a care network, which constitutes an advance for the area of nursing.