Preparation of booklets for health education in long-stay institutions for the elderly

Abstract

Objective: To describe the experience of building booklets aimed at the elderly, caregivers and health professionals at a long-term care facility for the elderly. Methods: This is a descriptive study, of the experience report type through participant observation, experienced in a long-stay institution for the elderly, with a pedagogical purpose on the themes of preventing falls and combating prostate cancer. The texts were produced based on the author's observation, regarding the incidence and prevalence of these two themes, in the institution where the study was carried out. The images used are part of a public domain database. Results: Development of an easy-to-understand material for the elderly and caregivers of Long Stay Institutions for the Elderly, in addition to the health professionals allocated there. The material is also accessible to the general public, providing clear and precise information on essential topics for healthy aging. Conclusion: The production of educational material, with a pedagogical purpose, provided advantages for the elderly, caregivers and health professionals, as it simplified and made intelligible the understanding of themes previously feared and often causing panic among system users, in addition to facilitating preventive and therapeutic actions promoted by the health team due to their a priori knowledge on the part of the elderly.