The GNR explains that this operation aimed to guarantee patrolling and awareness-raising actions for the elderly population who live alone and/or isolated, alerting them to the need to adopt safety behaviors, reducing the risk of becoming victims of crimes, especially violence, fraud and theft.

The districts of Guarda (5,477), Vila Real (5,360), Viseu (3,528), Faro (3,513), Bragança (3,347) and Beja (3,230) were the districts in which the most elderly people were flagged, the GNR said in a statement.

During the operation, the GNR carried out a series of actions that prioritised personal contact with elderly people in vulnerable situations.

In total, 44,114 elderly people were flagged as living alone and/or isolated, or in a vulnerable situation, due to their physical, psychological, or other conditions that could jeopardise their safety, explains the GNR.

In total, during Operation "Senior Census 2023" the GNR carried out 304 actions in the classroom and 2,651 door-to-door, covering a total of 24,978 elderly people.

Last year, the operation identified 44,511 elderly people who lived alone or isolated.

Since 2011, the year in which the first edition of Operation “Censos Sénior” was carried out, the GNR has been updating the geographical signage, providing “closer support” to the elderly population, which contributes to “creating a climate of greater trust and empathy between the elderly and GNR soldiers”, the initiative also serves to increase the feeling of security.