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'Here there is love and affection': elderly women sheltered at the Nilda Ney URS give emotional testimonials on TV.
Published on 14/05/2026 - 16:51 | Updated
News report showcases stories of women receiving care and protection at an SMAS unit. PHOTO: SMAS Press Office The routines and experiences of elderly women housed at the Nilda Ney Social Reintegration Unit (URS), run by the Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance (SMAS) in Rio de Janeiro, were the subject of the series "Tempo Rei" on the Globonews cable TV channel. Reporter and presenter Leilane Neubarth heard moving stories and described them in the episode "Lives in Housing," the second episode of season 2 of the program, which addresses themes related to aging.
One of the interviewees was Angela Mendes, a 70-year-old law graduate. She recounted caring for several relatives and losing them "one by one" to cancer. Today, living at the Nilda Ney URS (Unidade Social Reabilitação - Social Rehabilitation Unit), Angela revealed that she has found emotional support at the shelter, located in Bangu, in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro.
"There's love and affection here. Too much of it," he summarized.
Also in testimony in the episode, which aired on May 11 and is available on Globoplay, the director of URS, Ludmilla Félix, explained the profile of most of the women being sheltered:
— These are women who have spent their lives caring for someone else, and there comes a point when life demands that they take care of themselves. The issue of mental health and self-care is very relevant in this shelter for their well-being.
The presenter got emotional.
On social media, the URS team shared video footage of the moment the shelter participants saw themselves portrayed on TV during the program's broadcast. "Watching the report stirred up a range of emotions in them," the post states. "They realized they were important, recognized for their journeys, and that they still have much to teach, inspire, and represent," the text also highlights.
Leilane Neubarth commented on the post:
— What a joy to evoke emotions in people who have moved me! Kisses from me and thank you all so much.
About URS Nilda Ney
The unit serves up to 16 elderly women with partially preserved autonomy, in situations of social vulnerability. These are women with fragile or broken family and community ties and, in most cases, without a support network. The women admitted do not require highly dependent care, but they need specialized social protection of a high complexity, with continuous monitoring.
At URS, the goal is to promote comprehensive protection, autonomy, and quality of life. Those being sheltered receive daily personal care—hygiene, meals, and medication administration—and participate in activities focused on social interaction and leisure. Workshops on cognitive stimulation and guidance on civil documentation are offered, in addition to access to social assistance benefits and actions aimed at family reintegration, when possible.
The URS team includes professionals in social work, psychology, nutrition, and nursing. Medical follow-up is provided by the Family Clinic in the region.
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