The role of the geriatric nurse specialist as a key response in the care of the elderly, chronicity, complex chronicity and its consequences on dependence. / La enfermera especialista en geriatría como respuesta clave en la atención a la persona mayor, la cronicidad, la cronicidad compleja y sus consecuencias en la dependencia.

Aging together with multimorbidity, polymedication and various social factors are some of the determinants that lead to increasing complexity of care in the elderly, thus making it difficult for health systems to meet their needs. To approach this new and growing scenario of care for the elderly, the formal health and social care systems must define specific jobs for geriatric nursing specialists trained to address the needs of older people from a perspective of comprehensive care, both for healthy aging, and for the different health problems of this population group, characterized by the consequences of aging and chronicity, towards dependence, and develop the powers established by law in the framework of an interdisciplinary team, for those who have been trained and accredited, thus adding value to the response that health systems have to provide for this growing problem of the 'aging-chronicity-dependence' triad.

Doreen Norton OBE, MSc, SRN, FRCN (1922-2007): Pioneer who revolutionised pressure sore management and geriatric nursing to international acclaim.

Doreen Norton was a delightful, widely respected nurse who devoted her life to improving the care of elderly people. She researched the neglected problem of pressure sores, revolutionised their nursing care, and thus achieved international fame. Her Pressure Sore Scale was established as a management tool and is still used today. She was a key member of the design team that produced the 'King's Fund Bed', researched equipment required on geriatric wards, assessed all geriatric long stay units in Scotland and established research as a valuable nursing tool within her profession and health authorities. She lectured extensively and her publications attracted worldwide acclamation. After her retirement, she was subsequently appointed to the world's first Chair of Gerontological Nursing in Cleveland, Ohio.

["They are enjoying their first holiday ever"--working with the elderly, from the post-war years up to the early 1970s]. / "Sie geniessen den ersten Urlaub ihres Lebens"--Entwicklung der offenen Altenhilfe von der Nachkriegszeit bis zum Beginn der 1970er Jahre.

While, in the post-war years and into the 1950s, the building of old people's and care homes and the allocation of home places in those homes was seen as the main task of municipal care institutions for the elderly in Frankfurt am Main, in the decade that followed their main task shifted towards increasing the possibilities of providing care in people's own homes, delaying the move into old people's homes and breaking through the loneliness that elderly people were presumed to experience. Supported by the state, community housing was provided with flats for elderly people and with carers to look after their needs. The "warm rooms" of the post-war period changed into clubs, where members met and received guidance. In the late 1960s the clubs were extended into day-care centres, offering a range of consultation services, organized day trips and recreational holidays for the elderly. It was hoped that "meals-on-wheels" in combination with age-appropriate living conditions would delay the move into a home. But these plans were not adequately developed in the 1960s and often it was not clear who would pay the bills. The same was true of outpatient medical care which had traditionally been the task of community nurses, but was now increasingly carried out by local authority carers, who also provided household assistance. This kind of care could only ever be given for a limited period of time and, while it was able to delay the move into an old people's home, it could not replace it.

[Gerontological nursing, the production of knowledge in the profession (1970-1996)]. / Enfermagem gerontológica: a produção do conhecimento na profissão (1970-1996).

This study aims to describe the construction of knowledge as a component of professional power in gerontological nursing in Brazil between 1970 and 1996. It is a descriptive study with qualitative socio-historical approach that used oral history and was developed with 14 nurses, who are pioneers in the area. The categories found are: 1. The origin of gerontological nursing studies; 2. The inclusion of gerontology in the professional education; 3. The relevance of knowledge to the specialty. Historical understanding allowed to learn the efforts engaged for the development of scientific production in the area, by detailing the creation of research groups and the difficulties found in the professional education. The connection between knowledge and professional power is a unanimous discourse among the pioneer nurses, confirmed in the efforts made by them for the development of expertise in the area.

Enfermagem gerontológica: a produção do conhecimento na profissão (1970-1996) / Enfermería gerontológica: la producción del conocimiento en la profesión (1970-1996) / Gerontological nursing: the production of knowledge in the profession (1970-1996)

Este estudo objetiva descrever a construção do conhecimento como constituinte de poder profissional na Enfermagem Gerontológica no Brasil, no período de 1970 a 1996. É um estudo descritivo, qualitativo, com abordagem sócio-histórica, que utiliza a história oral temática e se realiza com 14 enfermeiras pioneiras na área. As categorias encontradas são: 1. Os primórdios das pesquisas; 2. A inserção da gerontologia na formação profissional; 3. Relevância do conhecimento para a especialidade. A compreensão histórica permitiu conhecer os esforços para o desenvolvimento da produção científica na área, ao detalhar a criação dos grupos de pesquisa e as dificuldades encontradas na formação profissional. A relação entre o conhecimento e poder profissional é discurso unânime entre as enfermeiras pioneiras, confirmada nos esforços empreendidos por estas para o desenvolvimento do conhecimento especializado na área.

Este estudio tiene como objetivo describir la construcción del conocimiento como constituyente del poder profesional en la Enfermería Gerontológica en Brasil, en el período de 1970 a 1996. Es un estudio descriptivo cualitativo con abordaje sociohistórico, que utiliza la Historia oral temática y se realiza con 14 enfermeras pioneras en el área. Las categorías encontradas son: 1. Los inicios de las investigaciones; 2. La inserción de la gerontología en la formación profesional; 3. Relevancia del conocimiento para la especialidad. La comprensión histórica permitió conocer los esfuerzos para el desarrollo de la producción científica en el área, al detallar la creación de los grupos de investigación y las dificultades encontradas en la formación profesional. La relación entre el conocimiento y poder profesional es discurso unánime entre las enfermeras pioneras, confirmado en los esfuerzos emprendidos por estas para el desarrollo del conocimiento especializado en el área.

This study aims to describe the construction of knowledge as a component of professional power in gerontological nursing in Brazil, between 1970 and 1996. It is a descriptive study with qualitative socio-historical approach that used oral history and was developed with 14 nurses, who are pioneers in the area. The categories found are: 1. The origin of gerontological nursing studies; 2. The inclusion of gerontology in the professional education; 3. The relevance of knowledge to the specialty. Historical understanding allowed to learn the efforts engaged for the development of scientific production in the area, by detailing the creation of research groups and the difficulties found in the professional education. The connection between knowledgee and professional power is a unanimous discourse among the pioneer nurses, confirmed in the efforts made by them for the development of expertise in the area.