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Sao Paulo Med J
Sao Paulo Med J
Sao Paulo Med J
São Paulo Medical Journal
1516-3180
1806-9460
Associação Paulista de Medicina - APM

10.1590/S1516-31802005000100010
Letter To Editor
In response to the editorial: "Brazil is getting older: some lessons from the Bambuí Health and Aging Study"
Leme Luiz Eugênio Garcez *
Address for correspondence: Luiz Eugênio Garcez Leme Av. Angélica, 1071 — Apto. 112 São Paulo (SP) — Brasil — CEP 01227-100 Tel. (+55 11) 3661-3950 E-mail: lueglem@usp.br
Conflict of interest: Not declared

02 1 2005
2005
123 1 4242
10 9 2004
05 11 2004
05 11 2004
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons license.
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pmcThe editorial on the aging pattern of Brazil’s population,1 indicating that the aging of our population is a fast, irreversible and progressive phenomenon, was very opportune. The real impact of this aging, especially the proportional increase in the number of very old people (more than 80 years old) will be felt over the next few decades. This will be due both to the changes in dependence and the consequential problems of this for social security, and to the changes in the profile of healthcare events. There will be concomitant multiplication of high-complexity events and accidental events, such as hip fractures, with high material and human costs.

It is indispensable that government, society and universities should quickly begin to make preparations for facing up to this challenge. Programs like the vaccination campaigns against influenza and the Statute of the Elderly are evident achievements. However, what is more important than declaring rights is to ensure that they are fulfilled.

We hope that this lucid editorial in São Paulo Medical Journal can serve as a further, very necessary cry of alert about the problematic situation of elderly people in Brazil.

Luiz Eugênio Garcez Leme MD, PhD, FAGS. Professor, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Sources of funding: Not declared
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REFERENCE

1 Lotufo PA Brazil is getting older: some lessons from the Bambuí Health and Aging Study São Paulo Med 2004 122 3 79 80
