Brazil expands nationwide home‑care programs for the elderly

The Brazilian federal government is scaling up domiciliary care for older citizens. A pilot project called “Cuidado em Casa” was launched in three municipalities – Fortaleza (CE), Colombo (PR) and Juazeiro (BA) – to provide integrated health and social assistance directly at home, supporting both seniors and their family caregivers.

In parallel, the Ministry of Health’s Programa de Atenção Domiciliar à Pessoa Idosa (PADI Brasil) has attracted interest from more than 2,700 municipalities. The programme, the first nationally co‑financed initiative focused on home care for the elderly within primary health care, earmarks roughly R$ 500 million through 2027. Funds will expand multiprofessional teams (eMulti) that include doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, nutritionists, psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists. Monthly financial increments can reach up to R$ 10 000 per team, with total monthly support up to R$ 57.5 000 and an initial lump‑sum grant for implementation.

Both efforts aim to improve quality of life, preserve autonomy, reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, and strengthen Brazil’s health system in response to rapid population ageing.