The psychosocial dimension of the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic in elderly health care practices

Considering that older persons are the age group most at risk of developing severe Covid-19 and that social distancing affects mental health, this article discusses the psychosocial dimension of the pandemic, focusing on this group. We emphasize the need to produce new knowledge and care practices in a municipality in the state of Bahia, Brazil. We conducted a case study in which the participants responded a semi-structured online questionnaire. The results were analyzed using content analysis and organized into three core categories: 1) psychosocial, behavioral and emotional affects; 2) elderly care planning; 3) elderly care practices during the pandemic. We conclude that the health and care of older persons are conditioned by psychosocial and collective dimensions, giving rise to additional challenges in action planning.