What is it?
What is this initiative about?
Founded in 2004 by Dr. Zilda Arns, the Pastoral for the Elderly operates at a national level and is organized in all 27 Brazilian states. In overone thousand municipalities, there are 27,000 trained and certified volunteers. These volunteers look after 170,000elderly people, on monthly home visits, implementing the methodology for monitoring the Elderly on key indicators for a better health, social and spiritual life.
The Pastoral for the Elderly initiated its activities in 2004, motivated by the large number of people aging and the social disparity where they live in.It started in just one State, encompassing some Dioceses, and as soon as the result was showed at the Brazilian Bishops Conference’s Annual Assembly, there was an approval to create a pastoral ministry linked to the Bishop’s Conference at the national level.
Each year more Dioceses and Parishes join the Pastoral for the Elderly network.In 2019, PPI is present in 214 dioceses, 1,800 parishes, 6,000 communities, looking after 170,000 elderly people, on monthly home visits, done by 27,000 community leaders, all volunteers. Since the beginning, an information system was designed to monitor key indicators of the elderly’s wellbeing, fed monthly by each community and parish.