RESUMO
The advent of AIDS in families, following the chronic evolution of the illness, has produced crisis situations unknown until now. With the objective of knowing this new reality better, 20 caregivers of AIDS patients were interviewed in southeastern Brazil. The collected data were analyzed using a qualitative method. The results showed difficulties regarding caregiving, such as a lack of orientation, materials, transport, and people to share the role of caregiver, as well as emotional difficulties, such as fears from infection, revulsion, pity, and impotence in the face of death. The role of families is essential in patient assistance, due to the inability of the health system to attend to all AIDS patients. Nevertheless, these families have to receive support mainly from nurses, in order to be helped in executing an aid plan to the ill person at home. Nurses and health care.