Professionals’ perceptions of the community health worker caring for frail elderly

Abstract

The community health worker (CHW) is a link between professionals in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) and the community. This study aimed to analyze healthcare personnel’s and managers’ perceptions of the role of the CHW in caring for frail elderly. A qualitative study was conducted from a hermeneutic-dialectic perspective with 38 professionals caring for elderly people in municipalities in the five regions of Brazil. The results showed the CHW as a facilitator of the access of frail elderly to the health care network, gaps in Continuing Education and a shortage of these professionals to meet the demand in primary care. The respondents attached great importance to the work of the CHW and valued their participation in the Family Health Strategy, but they highlighted the lack of knowledge and difficulties in supplying the adequate amount in health care services and in the care for frail elderly and family members. It may be concluded that healthcare personnel and managers consider the CHW to be a great work force with essential performance in the care for frail elderly and their caregivers. The number of CHW is insufficient in relation to the FHS and they lack training to deal with the various types of dependence.