La lay-expertise del caregiver informale : un'integrazione socio-sanitaria possibile?

The informal caregivers of individuals affected by Alzheimer's disease, are social actors who engage in various caregiving practices and develop essential skills and knowledge, crucial for providing care to the patients. However, they don't receive adequate appreciation from formal healthcare, remaining on the periphery of the care system. The objective of this article is to highlight caregiving practices and the lay expertise acquired as aspects that legitimize the importance of caregivers, thus warranting their inclusion in the socio-health integration. Through empirical research conducted with 21 caregivers, six modes of lay expertise construction and six significant aspects of caregivers for the formal healthcare process are identified. The care-giver, ultimately, is regarded as an expert in the practices they undertake and deserves support and resources from the formal healthcare system to ensure their quality of life. [Publisher's text].