“Wild animal” – An ethnography about older individuals and chronic illnesses in a brazilian shantytown

This conference consists of a short documentary (30 minutes, with English subtitles) that tells with lots of empathy and humor, the stories of some older people living in the poor city of Ceilândia (near Brasilia) and the way these individuals integrate, negotiate with, and contest chronic illness (esp. diabetes and hypertension) in their everyday life. Fleischer documents how chronic illness – the “wild animal” – is an important part of everyday life of this population and not always in line with public health recommendations. The film is followed by a talk that will give insights into the lives of a rarely studied group of older people and initiate a discussion on the management of chronic illness for those who have less resources.