Violence in long-term care facilities for the elderly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: perceptions of managers and professionals

Abstract

In Brazil, long-term care institutions for the elderly (ILPI) are the main long-term care providers for the elderly in situations of social vulnerability or fragile health. This study sought to analyze the perceptions of care managers and professionals who work in eight ILPI in different regions of Rio de Janeiro state regarding the institutionalization, difficulties of performing recommended care and how to improve these. A qualitative study was carried out that analyzed 38 semi-structured interviews: nine with care managers and 29 with care professionals. A thematic content analysis technique was used in trying to understand in the reports what the main challenges are to guarantee attentive and dignified care in these institutions. Violence has been found to be a major obstacle, which acts contrary to the care advocated. It manifests itself in different ways within the institutional reality: in the form of neglect and abandonment before institutionalization, but also within ILPI themselves. It appears in prejudices against the elderly: in the negative view of old age, in the infantilization and depersonalization of those that receive them, in the macro-political context, and by the absence or non-fulfillment of actions foreseen in public policies of attention to the elderly or in the lack of legislation that attends to their needs. Policies are necessary and need to be implemented. To this end, there should be more investment, especially in the training of professionals, so that long-term care is provided to the elderly in a dignified manner.