The aim of this thesis is to explore the initial experiences of people who suddenly become caregivers of dependent erderly relatives and try to describe the process which they pass. So, an original research was carried out in Jaén, through in-depth interviews, and a qualitative meta-synthesis of 16 international studies. The findings showed that the process of becoming a family caregiver develops in three phases: assuming the role of caregiver, starting to realize and implementing strategies.
The description of this process improves the understanding of the experience of becoming a family caregiver, both for the health professional and for family caregivers.
