This article presents an understanding concerning self-care in family caregivers according to Dorothea Orem's theory. Resulting from a qualitative research based on Grounded Theory, this work uses the techniques of home visiting, field notes and semistructured interviews with 11 caregivers after the hospitalization of a family member in a teaching Hospital located in Minas Gerais. Four categories were found and among them a central category is highlighted from which some facilities, difficulties and strategies for selfcare in caregiver were analyzed. Considering the difficulties, insufficient time for healthcare was noticed whereas the support from other family members appeared as a facility. The main strategies were: faith as a support; shift work in healthcare and community resources. This study demonstrated that hospital discharge guidelines and nursing follow-up after discharge were responsible for positive contributions to self-care in caregivers helping them to overcome their difficulties and enhancing their potentialities.
Self-Care; Family; Nursing
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