Care to the Aged in the Family Health Programme

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyse discourse and practice of medical doctors and nurses of the Programa Saúde da Família – PSF (Family Health Programme) with respect to care for elderly people. Material and methods: This research was carried out in eight basic units of health services in the municipality of João Pessoa, state of Paraíba, Brazil. Eight doctors and eight nurses participated of sampling. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interview. The data were analyzed through the technique of analysis of the discourse of the collective subject. Results: The discourse of the professionals shows that they have a view of the care to the aged in the Family Health Programme as ‘important and necessary’ and ‘efficacious’. In their view about this care in the basic unit of health where they work, they deem it as ‘incipient’ and ‘directed to pathology’. As to difficulties the doctors and nurses experienced to perform such care, they pointed out ‘difficulties originated from lack of professional capacity’ and also to difficulties related to lack of structure of the Programme, to the health service unit as well, and the community itself’. The expectation the professionals create with respect to the care for the elderly in the Family Health Programme consists of ‘improving the quality of the health service’. Conclusion: Assistance for the elderly in the primary attention to health requires improvements which will provide a full care and better quality of life. DESCRIPTORS Aging of population. Family Health Programme. Assistance for elderly.