In Brazil, the only country in South America with Portuguese as its official language, older adults are facing health care disparities, especially with regards to accessing rehabilitation and other specialized services. Between 2012 and 2022, the share of people aged 65 and over living below Brazil’s poverty line rose from 7.72% to 10.49%, which is 3 million elderly persons in poverty1. These older adults were found to have about 30.1% of them with a functional limitation which creates difficulties to perform basic daily activities and those with such limitations are significantly more likely to require doctor visits or hospitalizations2. Brazil struggles to have sufficient resources and infrastructure to treat all of these cases. These combined dynamics; the rising poverty among older adults, growing rehabilitation needs, and various functional limitations, shows how the insufficient access to specialized health services deepens the inequities and creates lifelong challenges for Brazil’s aging population.
In Pará, a state in the beautiful Amazon region, elderly residents, particularly those in low-income neighborhoods like Urumari, face persistent barriers to accessing adequate healthcare and rehabilitation services. Although the city has established an Elderly Health Reference Center (CRSI) to offer specialized care such as geriatrics, physiotherapy, and psychological support, access remains uneven, especially for those living far from central facilities. Currently the CRSI is only able to attend to about 550 elderly members of the community per month3. Local clinics often provide free physiotherapy, including services for neurological and geriatric conditions, but capacity is very limited in relation to demand. Challenges like transportation costs, long wait times, insufficient infrastructure, and understaffed facilities are spread all across Northern Brazil and continue to limit access to the care necessary to treat all of the elderly members of the community which cuts lives short and increases the risk of life-long health complications4.
To meet this community need, HXP Builders will expand the existing health clinic at the Nova República Basic Healthcare Unit (UBS) by constructing three new rooms dedicated to pediatric rehabilitation services. These new spaces will help the clinic to offer more physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological support tailored specifically for the elderly. 200 more seniors per month will directly be able to receive the medical care that they require. This expansion will increase the clinic’s capacity to serve more families and provide improved care to help lengthen the lives of the locals.
Sources:
1 PUCRS
2 PubMed
4 UNICEF