What the elderly think of the care provided by health services

Abstract

Objective: To identify the social representations of the elderly on the care provided in health services. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach was carried out, in which 238 elderly persons were interviewed about the care they received in Basic Health Units and in a center of specialized care. Their discourse was recorded and transcribed in its entirety, and processed using Iramuteq software. The results were discussed using Social Representation Theory. Results: The elderly associated good care with being treated with respect, attentiveness and politeness; and, at the same time, the requesting of diagnostic exams, referrals to medical specialists and the prescription of medicines. In their imaginary, the Basic Health Unit hinders their access to specialized care and doctors in this service do not know enough to meet the needs of people of different age groups and health problems, meaning that consulting with a specialist becomes more important. In practice, they encounter difficulties related to delays in being attended to and obtaining appointments with specialists, diagnostic exams and with the first come, first served appointment system, which is further limited by the number of places and treatment of specific groups on certain days. Conclusion: The practices in the care provided to the elderly in health services need to be reviewed to offer humanized and qualified care that can meet their needs. Health professionals and managers should consider the different characteristics of the elderly when approaching care.

Assistência à saúde da população idosa com doenças crônicas na Atenção Primária à Saúde: enfoque nos avanços e desafios

“…A comunicação e a coordenação do cuidado, onde um profissional de saúde atua como ponto focal responsável por garantir que todos os aspectos do cuidado do paciente sejam devidamente gerenciados e coordenados (Lubenow, Silva, 2019). Isso pode envolver o acompanhamento regular do paciente, a identificação e resolução de lacunas no cuidado, o encaminhamento apropriado para serviços especializados e a colaboração com outros provedores de cuidados de saúde, tanto dentro quanto fora do sistema de saúde (Fernandes;Soares, 2022;Carneiro;Ayres, 2021).…”

Effectiveness of an educational video in older adults’ perception about falling risks: a randomized clinical trial

“…This idea is sustained by considering that communication influences people’s behavior and that the social representations of older adults about care in health services are associated with professionals’ respect, attention and education and are related to conversation, explanation and interest in helping them ( 20 – 21 ) . This influence was observed in an American study, in which older adults who participated in an educational program, with guidance from professionals on falling risks, changed behaviors: 67% started to practice physical exercise, 95.8% identified risks of falling at home and 87.3% adapted their home ( 22 ) .…”

Experiences and expectations of obese older people on the care received in the primary health care network

“…The participants expressed their desire of receiving humanized assistance from the PHC team, mostly because they had obesity and were older people. This service conception can be related to the fact that, as people get older, their relationships tend to be more restricted, and events such as the loss of the partner, the children's moving out, and the thought of the proximity of death can contribute to a higher emotional fragility (28) .…”