SOS idoso

Abstract

Everyone has the right to health protection, especially in old age, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic. It is the duty of the nurse in her professional practice to identify and resolve the community needs and problems. Population aging is a phenomenon observed in all countries where Portugal is also included. In 2001 the proportion of people aged 65 or older was 16% in Portugal and according to demographic projections prepared by the National Statistics Institute (INE) in 2050 represent 32% of the total population. The increased geographic mobility of working age individuals to the cities with the aim of finding better living conditions, often leads to that more elderly people remain living in rural areas and younger ones in the cities, geographically more distant from their families. The report presented is a reflection of the problems experienced in the Community Care Unit – Gentes de Loulé / Functional Unit of Loulé, in the context of Continuing Care, which received this internship, and was developed in the Town of Ameixial. Module I proceeded to the diagnosis of the situation, where there was the demographic aging of the respective parish, and the isolation to which it is subject. In the second internship module it was demonstrated the need of developing a community intervention project, specifically in creating a domiciliary teleassistance device, where several entities were involved, such as the Continuing Care Team, the Parish of Ameixial and Communication Technology Provider. The project was called "SOS IDOSO", and this telecommunication system is intended to ensure replies in the prevention and promotion of life quality of elder people battling against age drive dependency situations; illness, convalescence, disability and isolation. The results of this project will provide not only greater visibility of the aging process, but also the ethical and social responsibility of nursing to the community, in order to maintain the ideology of Caring.

Date of Award	Apr 2011
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Amélia Simões Figueiredo (Supervisor)