Mapping of Successful Experiences of Public Policies Aimed at Promoting Active and Healthy Aging in the State of São Paulo

• Grant number: 23/09368-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research in Public Policies
• Duration: August 01, 2024 - July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Suzana Cristina Fernandes de Paiva
• Grantee: Suzana Cristina Fernandes de Paiva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Cláudia Niedhardt Capella ; Claudio Cesar de Paiva ; Ligia Antunes Pereira Pinelli

Abstract

The Brazilian population is undergoing an intense aging process due to the progressive increase in longevity. The repercussions of these demographic changes on society require innovative actions and the proposal of public policies with greater effectiveness to face numerous challenges, especially in a country that has aged without reaching the high income category. Although in the field of public policies important advances are observed in the elaboration of laws and definition of public policies, in practice, what is observed is that such policies are considered symbolic, considering that a situation of neglect and discrimination towards the elderly still prevails in Brazil, especially for those who present very relevant economic needs.The State of São Paulo created in 2012, through Decree No. 58.047, the São Paulo Friend of the Elderly Program, a program to promote and articulate public policies aimed at guaranteeing the rights of the elderly and promoting active aging, based on the four (4) strategic pillars recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO): participation, health, protection and education. It combines the efforts of 13 (thirteen) State Secretariats, the São Paulo Social Fund and the State Council for the Elderly, under the coordination of the Social Development Secretariat (SEDs). However, the Program faces the challenge of expanding municipal adherence and the establishment of local public policies aimed at serving this population.In view of these challenges, the proposal of this project is to work collaboratively with SEDs managers, in particular, with managers linked to the São Paulo Elderly-Friendly Program, with the aim of mapping and identifying public policies considered of excellence and innovative aimed at promoting active and healthy aging to be published in a Guide to Good Practices, to be widely disseminated in the municipalities of São Paulo. The team of researchers will work together in the organization of initial activities, meetings and workshops with other public managers, during the process of evaluation and selection of policies, as well as in the dissemination of information, workshops and seminars. SEDs managers will guide each of the 26 Regional Directorates of Social Assistance and Development (DRADS) to select a public policy, according to the defined methodological criteria, and evaluated for its innovative nature, implementation mechanisms, effectiveness for the target population and potential for replicability. Subsequently, the team will carry out an executive evaluation of the selected policies, following the guidelines of the Guide "Evaluation of public policies: practical guide to ex post analysis, volume 2", published in 2018 by the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic.Based on this analysis, the best evaluated policies will be selected and gathered in a guide of good practices that can be replicated by other municipalities. The objective is to systematize knowledge on how to think about the problem of aging and propose public policies and innovative actions to face the challenges of this theme, which is strategic for the development process.The expectation is that the Guide to Good Practices for Active and Healthy Aging will be made available to all municipalities in the State of São Paulo and that during the process of elaboration and dissemination it will be possible to qualify the intersectoral dialog necessary to meet the demands of the elderly, stimulate interdisciplinary efforts among public managers, as well as make the demands increasingly qualified in the municipal councils of the elderly. Political commitment to the role of public policies for active and healthy ageing is essential to ensure the effective integration of older people in the development process. (AU)