HUMANIZED CARE FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE CONTEXT OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

With the increase in the elderly population, the aging process is a global public health challenge and humanized care for the elderly contributes to ensuring healthy aging. This is an integrative literature review of publications from the last five years (2018 to 2022), with the aim of describing the humanization of healthcare practices for the elderly in Primary Health Care. The searches were carried out in October 2023 in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences Information (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Online Retrieval System (Medline/PubMed), Nursing Database (BDENF), Science and Library Online (SciELO) and Cochrane. The final sample consisted of 10 articles published in Brazil. The results indicate that the practice of humanized care in APS is fragile and conflicts with the principles of the PNH. Humanized care for this population has been disease-centred, disorganized and fragmented. The importance of humanized care for the elderly is highlighted, as are the difficulties faced by micro-management. Conclusion: Humanization is a current need and not just a type of care. It encompasses respect, support, welcoming, dialogue and empathy, concepts that require the healthcare team to act effectively. Humanization goes beyond mere technical assistance, as it involves language, communication, information and the patient's needs.