Health literacy (HL) allows people to access, understand and evaluate health information. Informal caregivers’ levels of HL may impact long-term care outcomes. ‘Informal caregivers’ profile in Lisbon county: a health community approach’ is a nurse-led research project aiming to assess informal caregivers’ health literacy and associated factors in Lisbon county, as well as to foster the development of a local-specific health literacy strategy. A survey to identify a health/social caregiver profile, including questions about HL (HLS-EU-PT), was submitted to a representative sample of carers. Descriptive and bivariate inferential analysis was developed. Informal caregivers’ level of HL was mostly sufficient (n = 99, 38%). More than 60% of caregivers have limited HL regarding health promotion. ‘Access’, ‘Appraisal’ and ‘Use’ are the information processing stages with lower mean scores of HL. Carers with low HL levels appear to be older and to have less education, low knowledge of community resources and decreased wellbeing (p < 0.05). A strategy focused on health promotion-related HL through primary care resources can potentially improve caregivers’ knowledge, competencies and motivation, as well as health system sustainability. Reported HLS-EU-PT scores deserve special attention. Future work should emphasize the role of HL-associated factors and health outcomes for caregivers and cared-for persons.

Falls are a recurring problem in the elderly, with physical and psychological consequences for the elderly, the family and society. Goals: 1-identify risk factors for the occurrence of falls in the elderly; 2evaluate practices and behaviors to prevent falls in the elderly who attend a day care center. Method: analytical cross-sectional observational study, carried out in a day care center in the metropolitan region of Lisbon to answer the question: What are the risk factors, practices and behaviors of the elderly living in the community to prevent falls? Approval by the Ethics Committee. Sample consisting of 13 elderly people who attend day care. A questionnaire was applied with: 1) sociodemographic characteristics, 2) degree of dependence in activities of daily living (Barthel Index), cognitive status (Mini Mental State Examination), 3) risk factors, 4) Morse Falls Scale and 5) Scale of practices and behaviors of the elderly in the prevention of falls. Results: The elderly have a mean age of 80.92 years (SD= 6.96), are male (53.8%), with 4 years of schooling (84.6%), are widowed (69.2%) and live alone (61.5%). All have deficits in balance, have pathologies at the level of the cardiovascular system (92.3%) and musculoskeletal (69.2%), with moderate dependence with the same percentage (38.5% respectively), none of them have cognitive deficits. They have low risk and high risk of falling with the same percentage (38.5% respectively), independent. In communication practices and behaviors, 46.2% reported that doctors and nurses never warn them about the risk of falling. In Safety Practices and Behaviors, 38.5% do not check if the bathroom floor is slippery before using it. However, they have safety practices in the management of the surrounding space [(choice of the best preventive measures (53.8%), organization of the room space for travel (84.6%) and removal of obstacles from the bedroom and hallway (69.2%)] to prevent falls. Conclusions: The study revealed several risk factors for the occurrence of falls in the elderly (advanced age, sensory deficit, balance deficit, pathology and medication). In practices and behaviors for communication, there is a deficit on the part of health professionals to inform about the risk of falling, while in the practices of safety behaviors of the elderly, there is a deficit in the prior observation of the state of the floor in safety practices in the space where move. The data underscore the importance of a multiprofessional, community-based intervention to train the elderly in behaviors that prevent the risk of falling.

The aging of the population at a global level has increased in recent decades and, as a result of this process, there are several problems, such as the occurrence of falls. Thus, in order for the elderly population to have an active aging process, it is up to health professionals to train them to minimize the risks inherent to the occurrence of falls. Thus, the following question arose: "What are the interventions of the Nurse in the Prevention of Falls in the Elderly in the community?". Goal: to carry out a scoping review to identify in the literature nurses' interventions in the prevention of falls among the elderly in the community. Method: systematic review of the literature, scope review type, with a search in the CINAHL Complete and MEDLINE Complete databases on 05/10/2022. The question that defined the procedure was supported by the PCC acromion (Population -elderly; Concepts -fall prevention and nurse intervention; Context -community). The scoping review followed the PRISM-ScR guidelines. The selection criteria were: (1) the time factor; (2) the full text; (3) individuals aged 65 and over; and (4) the main subject is: accidental falls. Results: From a total of 31 articles, only 2 articles were selected. The identified nursing interventions are based on person-centered care, as well as: (1) fall risk assessment; (2) impact of the fall on the individual, if any; (3) determination of available resources and the elderly's motivation to change behaviors; (4) train the elderly in behavior modification and (5) involve the multidisciplinary team in the intervention. Conclusion: the implementation of the nursing interventions described above intend to prevent the occurrence of falls in the elderly population in the community.

Enquadramento: cuidar diariamente de um familiar idoso dependente tem impacto na saúde do cuidador que por sobrecarga transforma-se de pessoa saudável em doente. Objetivos: avaliar o nível de sobrecarga do cuidador familiar e avaliar o efeito de uma intervenção de enfermagem suportada num programa psicoeducativo. Metodologia: estudo quase-experimental. Decorreu em unidades de saúde da região de Lisboa, com dois grupos: grupo experimental (recebeu intervenção de enfermagem suportada por um programa psicoeducativo) e grupo controlo (cuidados habituais). Amostra de conveniência de 64 famílias avaliadas antes e 2 meses após a intervenção. Instrumentos: questionário sociodemográfico e escala de Zarit. Os procedimentos éticos foram considerados. Resultados:  os cuidadores tinham como caraterísticas: média de idade 63 anos, cuidar de 1-3 anos, a moda foi ser do sexo feminino, casado, reformado, ser filha e coabitar com o idoso. A sobrecarga do grupo experimental em T1 (X= 59, 3) diminuiu após a intervenção T2 (X= 53,9), comparativamente ao grupo controlo, cujos valores se mantiveram sem diferenças estatisticamente significativas T1 (X= 51,9) e T2 (X=51,2). Conclusão: a intervenção de enfermagem, de fácil aplicação ajuda o cuidador a adquirir habilidades para lidar com o caregiving, mantendo a função social de cuidar do familiar.

The increasing overload of chronic conditions raises challenges for the health system. Informal caregivers have a major role in ensuring the quality of life of the cared-for person, despite the reported lack of working resources which can lead to unmet needs. This article reports on the first part of a nurse-led research project entitled ‘‘Informal caregiver’ profiles in Lisbon county: a health community approach.’ We aimed to support decision-making by developing an informal caregiver profile to promote tailored interventions. A survey addressing the dyad was developed and submitted to a convenient, network-based, stratified sample of carers aged 18 years or above. More than thirty community partners supported the identification of caregivers. Data were submitted to univariate descriptive analysis. A profile of the cared-for person and the informal caregiver was uncovered by identifying 639 caregivers, of whom the majority lived with the cared-for person. Only four percent planned the transition to a caregiver role, and no more than 10% had access to support programs. Approximately half of the respondents found that COVID-19 negatively impacted their performance in the caregiver role. Developing a local and tailored strategy with collaboration between healthcare professionals, academics, and community partners is key to ensuring that meaningful support is provided to caregivers.