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Last 26th March, the President of the Portuguese Physioterapists Order António Lopes participated, as a guest, in the Congress "The Great Age in Discussion", organized by the Associação Amigos da Grande Idade and Escola Superior de Saúde da Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa.
In the morning, the debate had as its theme: After COVID, how is the institutionalisation of elderly people in Portugal?
In the afternoon the debate was on the topic: Are services for the elderly social or health services?
In this context, the President of the Portuguese Physiotherapists Order, who had the opportunity to speak, valued the intervention of physiotherapists as specialists in human movement and in the evaluation of functionality. He also underlined the need for the existence of physiotherapists in primary health care, for an intervention in the community, as well as the need for continuity of care provided to elderly people.
The discussion afterwards, with interventions from the audience, was also directed at the issue of profiles and qualifications of professionals, more in the social or health area, including the management of institutions, as indeed was the theme of the session.

The Portuguese Institute of Physiotherapists believes that there is a need for care by physiotherapists in care homes. Therefore, it is essential that there is support, information and training for caregivers, to ensure the quality of care by health professionals specialised in their professional area.
We believe that the area of long-term continuous care, on the one hand, and home care, on the other, are areas of opportunity for physiotherapists.
In particular the issue of prescribing/advising technical aids and adaptations of residences, in collaboration with the local authorities, should also be stimulated and this is something that we will also take into consideration for the future of Physiotherapy.