Elderly caregiver: the knowledge available in LILACS database

This study aimed at analyzing the scientific production about the elderly assistance. Bibliographic review was utilized as a methodological approach based on 2000-2007 LILACS data base. Sixty-four abstracts of the articles were analyzed and categorized per year of publication of the scenery and the methodology and theme presented. As a result, it was noticed that in 2004 there was the largest number of publications, prevailingly in the Southeast of Brazil. As to the scenery, the prevalence of choice was the domicile and the methodological approach was that of qualitative type with the themes grouped into four areas, as follows: institutionalized elderly care, the family and the elderly care, care in its ethical implications, elderly people and nursing care.