La malattia del riconoscimento. L'Alzheimer, le relazioni familiari, il processo di cura

The study examines the impact caused by the Alzheimer’s Disease on the family system. It considers not only the relationship between the patient and the principal caregiver, but the intergenerational organization as a whole. It is a qualitative research conducted by the symbolic-relational approach: its aims is to underline the relationship between the family organization form and the effects of caregiving process. The results find four format of family space and time which are related to different perception of pathology and to different family dynamics. Moreover they distinguish specific modalities of exchange between the families and the social and health services and the effects of caregiving process.