The Admission of Older People Into Residential Care Homes in Argentina: Coercion and Human Rights Abuse.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is very little information about the appropriateness of procedures for admitting older people into care homes in low and middle-income countries like Argentina. This study provides the first systematic study of practice and assesses the extent to which current practice respects fundamental human rights. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We apply different methods, including document review and national survey analysis. The study also includes a case study of a single city, La Plata, which draws on local key informant interviews, focus group discussions in different neighborhoods, and a clandestine surrogate patient survey led by local pensioners. This innovative design provides a highly triangulated and contextualized data set. RESULTS: Many older people admitted to care homes did not have high levels of care dependency. Care homes did not usually require or even seek the informed consent of older people, regardless of their cognitive status. There were indications of coercive admission by family members, sometimes in order to obtain access to older people's homes and other property and finances. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The study indicates the widespread abuse of the fundamental human rights of tens of thousands of older people in Argentina. There is a need for researchers, policy-makers, and civil society to acknowledge the scale of abuse and develop safeguards.

Esperanza de vida saludable según prevalencia de limitaciones permanentes, Argentina 2009-2010 / Life expectancy free of disabilities by prevalence of permanent limitations, Argentina 2009-2010

INTRODUCCIÓN: a medida que se desplaza la mortalidad hacia edades avanzadas y predomina la morbilidad por enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, la esperanza de vida al nacer resulta insuficiente para estimar el estado de salud de las poblaciones, cuyos integrantes pueden padecer durante períodos prolongados las secuelas de enfermedades discapacitantes. En estos escenarios, la esperanza de vida libre de limitaciones permanentes (EVLLP) y con limitacionespermanentes (EVCLP) constituyen indicadores recomendados paraevaluar las condiciones de salud. OBJETIVOS: Estimar la EVLLP porenfermedades físicas o cognitivas para Argentina en 2010. MÉTODOS: Se utilizó el método Sullivan para calcular ambos indicadores. La información básica se obtuvo del Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas de 2010. Se realizaron cálculos de EVLLP y EVCLP al nacer y por edades para la población argentina en 2010. También se elaboró un indicador de impacto de las limitaciones sobre la esperanza de vida para valorar las diferencias halladas. RESULTADOS: Se conocieron las diferencias provinciales en el perfil de salud-discapacidad según sexoy el impacto de la discapacidad en el curso de vida completo segúnprovincias y sexo. CONCLUSIONES: Se espera que las mujeres vivan más años libres de limitaciones, pero con mayor carga potencial de limitaciones permanentes. La Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires es la jurisdicción con mayor EVLLP y con menor carga potencial de discapacidad, mientras que la provincia con mayor impacto dediscapacidad es Jujuy.

INTRODUCTION: as mortality shifts to extreme ages, and morbidity from chronic non-communicable diseasespredominates, life expectancy at birth is not enough to assess the overall health status of populations, whose members may suffer the consequences for long periods of disabling diseases. In these scenarios, indicators like life expectancy free of disabilities (LEFD) and with disabilities (LEWD) arerecommended to evaluate population health conditions. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the LEFD due to physical or cognitive diseases for Argentina in 2010. METHODS: Sullivan methodwas used to calculate both indicators. The basic information was obtained from the 2010 Census of Argentina. LEFD and LEWD at birth and specific ages for the Argentine populationwere calculated. An indicator about impact of the disability on life expectancy was developed to assess the differences found RESULTS:. The study revealed provincial differencesrelated to health and disease profile by sex as well as the impact of the disability on the whole life course by provinces and sex.. CONCLUSIONS: Women are expected to live free of limitations longer than men, but with a higher load of permanent disabilities. Buenos Aires City is the jurisdictionwith the highest life expectancy free of disability and with the lowest potential load, while the province with the greatest impact of disability is Jujuy.

¿Cuánto cuesta y quién paga la dependencia en las personas mayores?: un estudio en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires

Contenido: Servicios para la dependencia, costos y bienestar de las personas mayores en la experiencia internacional. Los servicios de larga duración, los costos y el bienestar en la Argentina. Costos de la dependencia y bienestar de las personas mayores en el estudio de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Modelos de regresión logística. Escalas de valoración

Análisis comparado de la esperanza de vida con salud en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires / Comparative analysis of life expectancy with health in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

El artículo presenta los resultados de un estudio estadístico efectuado mediante la aplicación del método Sullivan para estimar la Esperanza de Vida Saludable (EVS) de la población de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA) en el año 2010, a partir del Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas 2010 y de tablas de mortalidad de momento. El análisis contrastó indicadores de EVS de la CABA con los de la Provincia del Chaco −ubicada en su antípoda desde el punto de vista del desarrollo humano y socioeconómico− y considera como patrón general los valores de la población total del país. Los resultados muestran que la CABA tiene la esperanza de vida al nacer y a la edad de 65 años más elevadas de las tres poblaciones, al mismo tiempo que presenta las menores expectativas de años vividos con al menos una limitación permanente. El examen de la severidad de las dificultades en esos años esperados de vida pone de manifiesto que la mayor proporción transcurre con menor severidad. (AU)

Health care for older persons in Argentina: a country profile.

Argentina is a large country situated at the southern end of the Americas. It is highly urbanized, and almost one-third of the population lives in the capital city and its surrounding area (Buenos Aires). The population is composed of heterogeneous groups, formed primarily by descendants of European immigration who constitute 85% of the inhabitants. In the last 30 years, Argentina has witnessed a growth in the elderly population from less than 7% to nearly 10% of the total population. Additionally, in Buenos Aires City, more than 17% are aged 65 or older. The healthcare systems for the elderly lack nationwide coverage. The Programa de Atención Médica Integral (PAMI) is the largest program for elderly care. It is a state-run program for disabled and senior citizens. PAMI serves 65% of the approximately 3.6 million older people in Argentina. The quality of PAMI healthcare delivery has decreased in the last 2 decades and has largely declined since the Argentinean economic crisis of late 2001. The rehabilitation and long-term care services are relatively underdeveloped, and fewer than 2% of senior citizens live in residential or nursing homes. Recently, the government has proposed a system of care built up from the primary care resources of the community.