Abstract
The growth of the elderly population in Brazil has been occurring in an accelerated way, configuring a great challenge for the public health services. The Family Health Strategy (FHS) indicates a change in the traditional model of health care, based on the integral care bias. One of the main tasks of the community health agent (CHA) is the home visit, through which you can establish a bond with the families and meet their needs. This study aimed to analyze the potential of the home visit as an instrument of care practice and strengthening of bond with the elderly population in a highly vulnerable territory. Participant observations were systematized in field diaries, as well as semi-structured interviews with three community health agents from a Family Health Unit. The construction of meanings of the material systematized in tables was organized from the discourse analysis framework, which covers the inter-subjective senses in an interlocution with the social context. It was observed that the home visit involved dynamics of affection and daily affection, which strengthened the practices of attention to the elderly in the territory, producing creative and unique constructions of care. The ACS occupied an important affective-technical place in the FHT, promoting actions for the health of the elderly in the community, still contributing to increase public policies aimed at this population.
Keywords:
Family Health Strategy; community health worker; aged; home visit; social support network