Ser-pessoa-idosa institucionalizada: a experiência de residentes em ILPIs filantrópicas de Natal

Abstract

The discussion on population aging and its social implications is an increasingly relevant topic in contemporary society. With the extension of life expectancy and a significant increase in the number of elderly individuals over recent decades, we have been called upon to reflect on the phenomenon of aging in this historical moment and its peculiarities – such as the growing demand for the institutionalization of the elderly in Long-Term Care Institutions (ILPIs), which represent the most common form of care for the elderly outside the family setting. This study aimed to understand the experience of being elderly in philanthropic ILPIs in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. Employing a phenomenological-hermeneutic research approach inspired by the thought of philosopher Martin Heidegger, we explored the meanings attributed to institutionalization by the elderly themselves, drawing from their lived experiences. Individual narrative interviews were conducted with three participants residing in different ILPIs, unveiling diverse perspectives on that experience in light of their distinct life histories and existential contexts. In our encounters with them, themes emerged such as the rupture and reconstruction of familial bonds, challenges to autonomy and freedom within the institution, and the possibilities of constructing (or not) a home within an ILPI. The findings highlight the complexity and uniqueness of the experience of being an institutionalized elderly individual, as well as the need for care policies and practices that recognize the particularities of each elderly person, valuing the potential inherent in their lives.