POLÍTICAS DE ATENÇÃO À SAÚDE DO IDOSO: UMA REVISÃO DO ESTADO DO CONHECIMENTO

This article aims to highlight how current stricto sensu research has addressed the topic of policies developed for the health care of the elderly. Considering the significant increase in the elderly population in recent decades, aging has become a matter of concern for the public authorities, who claim to be promoting and implementing public policies to offer better living conditions to this population segment, and this includes health care strategies. A descriptive and qualitative literature review was conducted, as well as a survey of the state of knowledge in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD), to verify the current state of research production related to the promotion of health care for the population aged 65 or older. It concludes that stricto sensu research should be encouraged so that the narrative about the living conditions of the elderly population in Brazil is told from the perspective of the subject of rights, who now needs attention and care to exist in society with dignity, health, and quality of life. With increasing life expectancy, the development of public policies focused on elderly healthcare will always be necessary. Caring for the elderly population means maintaining fundamental principles of life in society, with emphasis on social justice, a sense of community, and respect for human rights.