The intensity of care provided by Home Support Service (DSS) is a major issue in many countries. In some cases, it is considered a quality criterion and basis of calculation of payment of the Home Support Service. This study aims to quantitatively analyze the intensity of caregiving tasks provided in the Home Support Service in Portugal in terms of frequency and time spent (in minutes), and calculate reference values of the time consumption for each task care in Activities of Daily Living (Basic and Instrumental). Eight institutions promoters of Home Support Service were analyzed, grouped according to the local context to which they belong (rural / urban) and the ability of users that have (small / large). Each institution randomly selected six users, resulting in a final sample of 48 subjects. Data collection was performed with the use of the Protocol of Home Support Service (PROSAD). The results indicate that the intensity is higher than the care provided in terms of Basic Activities of Daily Living, but the values vary depending on the presence / absence of informal caregivers. The conclusion was that the intensity of care in Portugal is reduced, and the few services focus on the Basic Activities of Daily Living. The time to be used by each user of the Home Support Service should be based on objective criteria such as the functional state of the user and the social support network.the elderly about participation in groups. Interviews were conducted with 20 people of both genders and divided into two groups, of which ten attended the Grupo Flor de Maçã, and ten attend the Grupo Melhor Idade em Ação. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observation recorded in a field diary, which occurred in places and times scheduled with supervisors and participants. The data were analyzed by the participants' speech, processed and separated into pre-established categories. It was found that participation in living groups made dramatic improvements and changes in the lives of elderly of the study and improvements in several factors can be noticed, such as health, self-esteem and recovery. Many reported that activities in groups contributed significantly to the development of the functions of daily life, besides getting a recognition and appreciation, both by families and by society in general. We conclude that participation in groups is paramount in the quest to achieve better quality of life.
Home Care Services; Home Nursing; Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation; Periodicity; Temporal Distribution; Quantitative Analysis; Portugal