Gerontologic domiciliary attendance: contributions for the elderly health care in the community

Abstract

Objective: To present the contributions of the Domiciliary Attendance (DA) for elderly care in the community. Data Synthesis: Following the proposals of Gerontology, the contributions of this type of attendance for elderly care were reached for as a directive question, and therein, delimiting the guiding principles of DA: the humanization, the interdisciplinarity and caregiver support, as fundamental for the continuity and success of this modality. The data search consisted of a research of primary data published in the periods of: 1988, 1994 and 1996-2007. Pointing out that the theme is in accordance to Health Politics proclaimed nowadays in Brazil; DA appears as a new attendance strategy contributing for the reorientation of the assistance models for the aged and, at the same time, humanizing elderly care. Conclusion: It was observed from the obtained data that domiciliary attendance significantly contributes for elderly care in the community, representing an advantageous strategy. One can say that such advantage occurs from the possibility of besides humanizing the attendance, also reducing the costs of the attention by means of precocious discharge, showing that DA with Gerontologic focusing is differenced, providing a more adequate treatment for the patient, his/her caregiver and the family.