EC Nursing and Healthcare

This work demonstrates how an Alzheimer's patient rediscovers the powerful feelings of pleasure, laughter, feeling good about herself and being with her family, at age 83. Their main objectives are to identify family and professional failures that occurred before the disease and after the medical diagnosis confirmed Alzheimer's disease. The method chosen was qualitative and exploratory action research, based on a case study carried out in loco. Intensive sessions were held, with two hours daily of Body Therapies along the lines of Alexander Lowen [1], in the first months, complemented with Psychopedagogical, Geriatric and Nutritional activities. Monitoring, observations and daily interventions, lasting six hours, five days a week, for two and a half years. An elderly woman aged 81 to 83 years old with Alzheimer's disease participated in this study. She had suffered a stroke (Cerebral Vascular Accident), with an initial, daily prescription of more than ten drugs. Through this study and the psychotherapeutic techniques, centered on affectivity, I was able to perceive the attitudinal changes generated in this elderly woman, involving her family environment. After six months of intervention, she showed her first smile, moving from an unstable homeostatic situation to an involving heterostatic action, interacting with family members. The theoretical basis, which involves this proposed theme, is centered on the concepts of Bioenergetic Theory, among others, focusing on the influence and effects of feelings that evoke displeasure, facilitating their release and, rescuing the psycho-organic pleasure, which mobilizes body and mind.

Keywords: Pleasure; Alzheimer's; Affective Function; Changes; Family Reintegration

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