Estrategias Andragógicas para la Capacitación de Cuidadores de Adultos Mayores Dependientes

The accelerated demographic aging in Latin America poses an urgent challenge: the professionalization of caregiving. Frequently, this responsibility falls on family members without technical training, who experience significant physical and emotional burden due to the complexity of geriatric care. The objective of this study was to implement a comprehensive educational program, based on andragogical strategies, to train caregivers of dependent older adults in the Canton of Portoviejo, promoting an attitudinal shift toward addressing aging with dignity and competence. The methodology consisted of a virtual educational intervention with a qualitative and participatory approach. The sample included 15 caregivers organized into three groups, who completed 24 hours of synchronous instruction distributed across 10 sessions. The teaching-learning process was structured around Kolb’s Learning Cycle and the practice-theory-practice dialectic. The results demonstrated that participants developed critical skills in the management of biomedical equipment and basic life support. Qualitatively, a transformation was observed from an empirical and solitary practice toward a technical, humanized, and collaborative approach, reducing feelings of isolation. It is concluded that specialized training under an andragogical model validates prior knowledge and is an essential requirement to ensure the quality of life of the patient-caregiver dyad. The institutionalization of such programs is therefore recommended.