BRAZILIAN
SOCIETY OF
GERONTECHNOLOGY
SBGTEC
CONTACTS
SITE:
www.sbgtec.org.br
EMAIL:
FACEBOOK:
@sbgtec
INSTAGRAM:
@sbgerontec
GERONTECHNOLOGY:
TECHNOLOGY AS A FUNDAMENTAL TOOL FOR
HEALTH CARE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC –
AND THE FUTURE
Dear Colleagues,
The Brazilian Society of Gerontechnology, recognizing the
gravity of the situation that both Brazil and the world are facing
since the first cases of contagious by COVID-19, through this
letter reiterates that:
1) Gerontechnology understands that technology must be at
the service of the society;
2) Gerontechnology is an interdisciplinary field that unites the
knowledge of Gerontology and technology, focusing on care
and assistance to the health demands of older individuals, in
order to maintain and improve the quality of life for the aging
population;
3) The main mission of SGBTEC is to study, develop and promote
technological innovations in products and services that support
the elderly, their families, caregivers and professionals in their
needs, based on interdisciplinary scientific knowledge
recognizing the cultural and individual differences of the
population groups that compose the society;
4) Through innovation, technology and the design of sustainable
and adaptable environments for ageing groups, it supports the
relationship and social participation of the elderly, valuing good
health, comfort and safety in this population;
5) Contributes to society to build generations of older people
who are more independent and resilient in their lifestyle and
activities.
Considering that the use of technologies in care goes through
important issues, such as:
• The incipient incorporation of technological tools in broad
public health care;
• Regional inequalities and access to connectivity;
• Little ability to use technology by the older population,
especially 70+;
• Rapid response in sharing information received without due
critical analysis, which may allow for the spread of fake news
and opportunism;
SBGTEC recognizes:
a) The potential of using telehealth, in the form of applications
and other tools, for use with patients, caregivers and
professionals;
b) The importance of tele-appointments in solving less complex
health problems, by means of distance guidance, preventing
the patient from traveling to the health service;
c) The tracking of illness conditions with remote assessment of
health status scales and index, enabling more assertive
decision-making to guide interventions that are more suited to
the clinical case and allow for more sustainable use of health
resources;
d) The possibility of the elderly or their caregivers to check a set
of data, self-assess their health condition and send the data to
their doctor and other health professionals;
e) Monitor health parameters by means of sensors that allow the
collection of relevant clinical data for assessing the health status
of the elderly, at various stages of the screening, which can be
sent digitally to clinical control centers for health conditions;
f) The potential of using distance tools for prescribing and
monitoring during exercises and activities for patients who need
long-term care, in the process of rehabilitation, people with
disabilities and cognitive impairment who have accessibility and
mobility barriers to health services;
g) Develop communication systems between professionals in
remote areas and caregivers through digital platforms with
video and audio links, increasing the significance of health
guidance and decision making, while streamlining medical care
and the care team;
h) Recognizes that, in addition to personal and community care,
data recorded by services using distance care can:
• Predict broad flows of the trajectory of an epidemic in a
population;
• Expand the use of therapeutic resources complementary to
face-to-face therapies;
• Expand the individual’s capacities for self-assessment,
monitoring and co-participation in their health care process.
Thus, SBGTEC reiterates:
a) The urgency of regulation for the full use of technological
resources for the different classes of health and social assistance
professionals in the ways of:
• Teleassistance
• Teleconsultation
• Telemonitoring
• Telerehabilitation
• Assisted environments and sensors
b) The urgency in teaching health professionals to use
technological tools as a complementary resource to face-to-
face therapies;
c) The need to expand the skills development of older people
to use technologies aimed at information, communication and
social participation;
d) The incorporation of technological assistance tools in the
planning and scoping of public and private programs and
networks, shaping a sustainable care network supported by
friendly technologies and with solutions focused on the
greatest social gain, reinforcing the recommendations of
SUS (Public Health System).
Professor Carla da Silva Santana Castro
President