ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To know the institutionalization process and the functional clinical condition of elderly people who suffered family violence, from the perspective of the elderly and professionals. METHODS: Qualitative, which used oral history as a data collection technique. Held in a long-term institution for the elderly, using a semi-structured interview script. The participants were three nursing technicians, two nursing assistants, five caregivers for the elderly and eight elderly. Thematic analysis was performed with the aid of the MAXQDA® software. RESULTS: Three categories were identified: The condition of vulnerability and the care needs of the elderly, indicating welcoming as an intervention; Suffering and denial of conditions of vulnerability; and Situations of family violence and the positive aspects of reception. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term institutions are considered important spaces for comprehensive and humanized care, as well as essential for the protection of elderly victims of family violence.