The brain vascular accident (BVA) is one of the main death causes worldwide. Due to the impairments imposed by the BVA, there is the family caregiver. This work aims to analyze the meaning and implications of being a caregiver of a stroke sequel person. It is a qualitative research, carried out with five caregivers in Londrina-PR, from August to December 2005. Data were collected in semi-structured interviews and were subjected to discourse analysis proposed by Martins and Bicudo. From the analysis of interviews seven categories arouse: turning to the being cared, describing care, presenting changes, spirituality support, understanding the meaning of care, expressing the needs to take care and future perspectives. Results revealed that being a family caregiver is a complex phenomenon, that creates in the subjects feelings of happiness and along with feelings of fear, anxiety and revolt.
Brain vascular accident; caregiver; home care