Brazil is experiencing one of the most significant demographic shifts in its history. As the country’s population ages and family caregiving capacity becomes increasingly strained, policymakers and service providers are working to build the systems, workforce, and supports needed to meet the growing demand for care.That sense of urgency was evident during a recent conversation between leaders from Brazil’s Ministry of Social Development and the Global Ageing Network. “Our age pyramid is inverting,” said Francisco Coullanges Xavier, special advisor for international affairs at Brazil’s Ministry of Social Development. He described ageing policy as a growing national priority and pointed to recent milestones, including the creation of a new Secretariat for Care and Brazil’s National Care Policy, adopted in 2024.

A central part of those efforts is Brazil’s Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS), which Daniella Cristina Jinkings Santana, who works within SUAS, described as the country’s decentralized framework for delivering social services. Established in 2005, SUAS operates across federal, state, and municipal levels and provides a range of services for older adults, including community-based programmes, day centres, home-based supports, residential care, and outreach services.

“Long-term care in Brazil is largely situated within social assistance,” Santana explained, noting that the system currently relies heavily on local governments and community organizations to deliver services.

Demographic Pressures Exposing Gaps in the System 

That system encompasses a broad network of providers. Brazil’s provider network includes approximately 2,000 residential care services for older adults, with roughly 90% operated by nongovernmental organizations. In addition to residential care, SUAS supports older adults through social participation programmes, day services, and initiatives designed to help people remain connected to their communities.

At the same time, demographic pressures are exposing longstanding gaps within the system.

Santana identified several priorities currently guiding Brazil’s work. “Our priorities are to strengthen community-based care, improve long-term care quality standards, integrate health and social services, support caregivers, and invest in the workforce,” she said.

Among the challenges discussed were limited funding mechanisms for social assistance services, fragmented responsibilities across ministries, and significant regional and racial disparities in access to care. Santana and Xavier noted that outcomes can vary dramatically across different regions of Brazil, creating additional complexity for national policy development.

Like many other countries, workforce capacity was another major concern. Santana described a shortage of training resources and standardized guidance for practitioners working with older adults. She is currently developing guidance for shelter services, an initiative that reflects broader efforts to build capacity across Brazil’s more than 5,000 municipalities.

Learning From Other Countries 

Xavier emphasized the ministry’s interest in learning from other countries as Brazil develops its care infrastructure and expands services for older adults.

Global Ageing Network Executive Director Katie Smith Sloan shared examples of multi-sector plans on ageing being implemented across the U.S., bringing together housing, transportation, health care, social services, and other sectors to address ageing in a coordinated way. Similar cross-sector approaches may offer useful lessons as Brazil works to strengthen coordination across government systems, she said.

The group also discussed international efforts related to dementia care and explored opportunities to share resources and promising practices, including lessons from previous connections with a dementia centre in Sweden.

The conversation concluded with a mutual commitment to continued exchange. The Global Ageing Network offered to connect Brazilian leaders with international organizations, training resources, and peer networks focused on workforce development, caregiver support, dementia, and community-based care. Xavier, in turn, invited colleagues to visit ageing services organizations in Brazil and continue discussions about future technical exchanges.

As the country continues to expand its care infrastructure and refine its long-term care strategy, international partnerships and knowledge sharing will play an important role in helping Brazil build a stronger, more coordinated system of support for older adults.