As contribuições da Psicologia na atenção à pessoa em cuidados paliativos e no acolhimento de seus familiares à luz da perspectiva existencial

Abstract

Palliative Care is not only aimed at people who are in a situation of imminent death, but can be understood as assistance in the face of an incurable disease that threatens life, being a humanitarian, empathetic and effective practice in caring for others through prevention and the alleviation of physical, psychological, social and spiritual suffering. Our research objective is to investigate how existential psychology has collaborated to palliative care for people with terminal illness and the care of their families in the Unified Health System. narrative review. In our analysis, we take as a basis the works of Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) and their interpreters, as well as authors who discuss the theme of palliative care and the historical process until its proposition. an important bibliographic reference is the works of the physician, nurse and palliative social worker Cicely Saunders. Once the bibliographic research is finished, we conclude that the contributions of the existentialist approach to people in palliative care and in welcoming family members brings relief, autonomy, freedom and understanding of their situation of being-in-the-world. Through this work, it was possible to locate the scarcity of public policies in the Unified Health System aimed at palliative care practices for people with incurable illness. There is a legal provision for its practice, but it is essential that the population is more informed about this legal support and about its benefits to everyone who may need it. Our defense is also for palliative care outside the hospital context, that is, within the family and community, being another action of the Family Health Strategy Program. We hope that our research will encourage the reader to reflect on their own existence, what is in fact valuable to them and the true meaning of their lives.