Health and longevity: Caimi André Araújo helps 111-year-old

Pedro Paiva performs multidisciplinary follow-up in geriatrics and nutrition, as well as physical therapy for motor and pulmonary rehabilitation

After beating Covid-19 twice, Pedro Paiva, 111, became a senior with the André Araújo Center for Integrated Attention to Best Age (Caimi), a unit of the state Department of Health (SES-AM). He is one of Caimi’s older patients and not the only one in the family who is the epitome of longevity, as he had a 114-year-old brother.

Pedro has been cared for by the multidisciplinary team of Caimi André Araújo since 2021, as well as his two granddaughters Sebastiana and Socorro Paiva, a nursing technician and physical therapist, respectively. Pedro, a father of ten, a former rubber collector and farmer from the Northeast, lived for a few years in the municipality of Irunibe (1160 km from Manaus), in the interior of Amazonas. With the second peak of the epidemic in the state, in 2021, Paiva’s family decided to bring him to the capital.

“It was very difficult. When my mother told us she was going to bring him to Manaus, it was at the height of the epidemic. He got Covid twice, he got it once there in Eirunepé. Here, in Manaus, he got it again and thank God, God is great, he is It is working very well today,” said Sebastiana Paiva, a nursing technician and one of the caregivers for the elderly.

Pedro and his family, previously helped by private counseling and counseling, found a special and welcoming service in Caimi André Araújo, north of Manaus. The family arrived at the unit on the recommendation of a friend. Sebastiana highlighted how helping made a difference in her grandfather’s life.

“To be completely honest it was the best place my grandfather was accompanied, helpful and very well attended. Sebastiana was assured both by the nursing staff as well as by the professionals who always greet us there.

Due to his age, Pedro’s family expresses concern about elder care, but reports that at Caimi André Araújo he has found help dedicated to the best age. He receives follow-up in the unit in geriatrics and nutrition, in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and weight loss, in addition to conducting examinations in general.

“As a professional, I see elder care generally neglected. Places generally don’t want to serve a lot of people, there are professionals who don’t get close to the elderly, and they don’t take care of the elderly,” Sebastiana said.

In addition to Caimi’s monthly consultations, Pedro conducts in-home physiotherapy for motor and pulmonary rehabilitation. “When he came to Manaus, he was very weak, he could no longer walk. There where he lived, he was living in a cozy place, but he was so comfortable that he ended up with immobility syndrome,” said Pedro’s granddaughter and physiotherapist, Socorro. Paiva, he really has a respiratory problem, we do physical therapy, both kinesthetic and respiratory, he also uses BiPAP, which is very important for these patients.

Sokoro also described her routine with her grandfather, when she needs to separate family members from the professional. “I am his doctor.” If you come to him and say, “Look, I’m your granddaughter,” he’ll want to talk, and he’ll want to cuddle. He is very affectionate and will not want to do exercises. Now let’s say ‘He’s the doctor who arrived’ and then he’ll obey me, accept BiPAP, and accept exercises,” said the physical therapist.

care and service

Roberta Nascimento, manager of Caimi André Araújo, recounts how the family sought unity and the difficulties they had with Pedro, but were soon welcomed into the centre. “We became aware of the patient’s history when the family came to us for support, as they did not know how to take care of the elderly person who was very restless, had not slept for days, noticed difficulty eating and noticeable weight loss. We quickly made it possible for the unit to be available to receive him”, He said.

Roberta highlighted that serving seniors is not only challenging because of their age, but it is also exciting. “We know the importance of our work for your life and well-being. Knowing that our work provides comfort and improvements to the patient, the manager emphasized, motivates us more and more to provide excellent, high-quality care.