PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE CARE FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S

Abstract

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative pathology regularly associated with age, affecting mostly elderly people over 80 years old, this age group being affected in more than 40% of cases; it is characterized by the progressive decline in areas of cognition, function, and behavior. In 2025, according to IBGE data, Brazil will reach 37.8% of its population being elderly, the highest percentage since 2010, increasing the vulnerability and demand for assistance for the elderly, especially those diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. Assistance and promotion of care for people with Alzheimer's requires technical knowledge, sensitivity, and mental and emotional well-being, considering the progressive needs and debilitation of the patient in relation to the caregiver, present from the initial stage of the disease. Objective: To analyze practices that favor the promotion of comprehensive and humanized care for elderly people with Alzheimer's. Methodology: This is an integrative literature review based on the following guiding question: What practices promote care for elderly people with Alzheimer's disease? Data collection took place between August and September 2025, using the databases Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Nursing Database (BDENF), and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs). Inclusion criteria were: complete, free articles published between 2011 and 2025, written in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. Duplicate articles, articles outside the estimated timeframe, incomplete articles, monographs, and those that deviated from the study's purpose were excluded. Expected results: Through this study, it was possible to understand, identify, and analyze the structure of care and health for elderly people with Alzheimer's disease. Conclusion: This study highlighted practices that promote care for elderly individuals with Alzheimer's disease, involving humanized, educational, and interdisciplinary actions, emphasizing the work of nursing professionals both with the elderly Alzheimer's patient and with their caregiver and family unit.