Aging and its care

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.558552526025

• Palavras-chave: care, support, aging, guardianship, loneliness.

• Keywords: care, support, aging, guardianship, loneliness.

• Abstract:

  One of the most visible and progressive demographic changes is the aging of the most developed populations. This aging is linked to several circumstances and causes: changes in family size and functions, increased life expectancy, better socio-health and economic conditions.  Without denying the positive effects of increasing life expectancy, aging is also surrounded by dangers and problems, such as those derived from degenerative diseases, both physical and mental. For the purposes of this communication we are interested in highlighting some significant aspects: increase of people living alone and increase of services and devices to ensure greater personal autonomy in residential environments, in short, the need for care and support.
  This article attempts to analyze the social consequences of the reform introduced by Law 8/2021 of June 2, which reforms the civil and procedural legislation for the support of people with disabilities in the exercise of their legal capacity and which highlights the importance of "curators" (Curatela), natural or legal persons, and Law 39/2006 on Dependency, which establishes various measures, resources and services to care for, assist and provide support to people with some dependency in the field of care and caregivers and the characteristics of the new professions or emerging professionals to provide this support and care.