Brazil pushes to fund elderly care homes through the public health system

The Sociedade Porto‑Alegre de Auxílio aos Necessitados (Spaan) has sent an open letter to Brazil’s health and social authorities urging that long‑term care facilities for the elderly (ILPIs) be financed under the Unified Health System (SUS) rather than solely through the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS). Spaan, which cares for more than 130 seniors—over half of them with severe dependence—argues that the current financing model does not match the complex, continuous health needs of residents. The letter cites Ministry of Health data showing roughly 75% of Brazil’s elderly rely exclusively on SUS for health services and warns that the lack of dedicated public funding threatens the sustainability of these institutions and the dignity of vulnerable seniors.

Spaan calls for legislative and budgetary changes to integrate health and social assistance for institutionalised elders, emphasizing that “the institutionalised elderly does not have separate assistance and health demands; care is permanent, integral and increasingly complex.” The appeal is being forwarded to public officials and parliamentarians for consideration.