Violence against dependent elderly people in the perception of health managers in Brazil

Abstract

The study aims to understand the experiences of health managers in Brazil regarding the context of violence against dependent elderly individuals at home. This study is a multicentric qualitative investigation conducted in Brazil, involving 16 (sixteen) health managers from primary health care, geriatrics outpatient clinics, and health project coordination for the elderly. The interviews took place from June to December 2019. The study adheres to the principles of hermeneutic dialectics. The results infer that violence is a social phenomenon that impacts everyone, but it has a greater repercussion on elderly people weakened by dependence who require permanent and constant care. In the homes where most of them reside, in addition to suffering from the loss of autonomy, it is quite common for elderly people to be victims of abandonment, neglect, or physical or psychological abuse. We conclude that changes resulting from physical, psychological, and social dependence often intensify violence, encircling the family nucleus and life dynamics.