A STUDY ON THE STRUCTURING OF THE SOCIAL PROTECTION NETWORK RETURNED TO THE ELDERLY POPULATION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF VITÓRIA
Name: ROBERTA DANIEL DE CARVALHO FERNANDES BORBA
Publication date: 08/07/2011
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| MARIA DAS GRAÇAS CUNHA GOMES | Advisor * |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| MARCIA SMARZARO SIQUEIRA | Internal Examiner * |
| MARIA DAS GRAÇAS CUNHA GOMES | Advisor * |
Summary: This study aims at analyzing the structuring and effectiveness of the social protection system instituted by the National Social Assistance Policy (PNAS), which is intended for the elderly, concerning the Municipal Department of Social Assistances responsibility in the city of Vitória, ES, Brazil. This qualitative study is guided by the dialectical critical method, employing literature review, semi-structured interviews, and focus group with users, taking the following hypotheses into account: 1) National Social Assistance Policy (PNAS) delimits a new configuration of social protection; 2) Social Policy for elderly care has shown advances, however, it has not been constructed and carried out in an intersectorial way; and 3) the attention to the family
detachment process is ineffective, and Non-Governmental Organizations are the ones in charge of sheltering these senior citizens. The discussion is based on the dynamics in which the social assistance policy was constituted before 1988 through philanthropic practices, with circumstantial and straightforward features far from being granted as a right. In 1988, with the new Brazilian Constitution, it began to be regarded as a right and State's duty. The 1993 Organic Law of Social Assistance (LOAS) organizes and regulates its constitutional premises. Besides that, the number of elderly people has grown in Brazil and population aging is considered a noticeable world phenomenon. Nevertheless, this demographic growth in the elderly segment is followed by human, social, cultural, economic, and family needs, which do not always follow the same pace of the supporting ability of elderly individuals,
their families, and public authorities. The results show advances and limitations in the structure and execution of the elderly social protection network. The political responses are most expressive at the basic social protection level, the mediumcomplexity actions are being structured, but they are little recognized by the users. The high-complexity actions, involving Long-Term Care Facilities, will remain the Third Sectors responsibility, because there is no planning at the Municipal Department of Social Assistance to take on this responsibility. This study also identified that the city government co-manages actions with Third Sector Institutions, such as controlling social equipment, hiring professionals, and purchasing materials so as to provide care services to the user. However, this partnership has several weaknesses. In conclusion, the responses by the State concerning facing the
challenges brought by aging have advanced, but in a very limited way, which
prevents the elderly population from exercising their full right as citizens and confirms the neoliberal ideas in dealing with the social question.
