VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OLDER ADULT: PERCEPTIONS OF THE BASIC HEALTH CARE TEAMS

Abstract

Objective: to understand how the professionals working in primary care teams perceive violence against the older adult. Method: a qualitative study, carried out from the conduction of four focus groups with a total of 30 basic care professionals, in the municipality of Marília, São Paulo. Data collection was carried out from November to December 2018. For data analysis, Hermeneutics-Dialectics was adopted. Results: it was revealed that the professionals suspect and identify cases of physical and financial violence and mainly negligence, with the main perpetrator of the aggression being a family member. They recognize that older adults are in complex life contexts and that many situations are beyond their capacity for intervention. They expressed fear and insecurity in reporting the cases and are unaware of the role of the other services, making the approach even more complex. Conclusion: the professionals experience situations of violence against the older adult in their daily lives; however, barriers such as fear of reporting the cases, ignorance of the roles of different professionals, and the inefficiency of the care network hinder the necessary interventions.