The objective of this study was to conduct an integrative review of the scientific literature about the factors that lead elderly people to transfer from their home environment to long-term care institutions for the elderly (ILPI - in Portuguese) as well as their living conditions and health. For that purpose, 14 articles in SciELO and LILACS (2001-2011) were retrieved. The conditions of life and health of the residents vary between independence, partial dependence and total dependence in performing their daily activities. We stress the need of changing the guidance in the assistance offered as well as improvements in the training of caregivers and multiprofessional groups in order to promote quality of life for the elderly who live in ILPIs.
Aging; elderly care; elderly; quality of life