Elderly care network: Facilitating factors and barriers to implementation

Abstract

This article aimed to identify and discuss the factors that favor and hinder the implementation of an Integrated Delivery Network Service for the Elderly in a municipality with 100% coverage by the Family Health Strategy. Using a qualitative method, ten focus groups were conducted, a semi-structured interview with the municipal health manager was performed, and the results were compare with the structure of the local health system. The results revealed that the current logic of the work process in primary health care does not differentiate the care delivered to the elderly from the one provided to adults. Despite the consolidation of primary health care as an entry point and the strong presence of community health agents in the studied city, fragmentation of the health system and the absence of a model of health care for the elderly are still limiting factors for comprehensive care. Lack of human resources training and devaluation of old age aggravate this scenario. It is expected that the knowledge generated by this study can be turned into subsidies for the implementation of a model for elderly care suitable to local conditions.