Introduction:

Cuba is currently among the first three countries in Latin America with the highest population aging and forecasts indicate that, in the coming years, it will be at the top of this list.

Objective:

To reflect on the particularities of the challenges faced by the nursing science in favor of a healthy old age, without violence or mistreatment.

Methods:

Through the systematization of scientific literature, a theoretical essay was carried out in the fourth quarter of the year 2022, conceived as a reflective argumentation, by making an approach to the challenges to be faced by the nursing science in favor of a healthy old age, without violence or mistreatment. The search was performed in the SciELO, Redalyc, Lilacs, Medline PubMed, e-book and Google Scholar databases, with the keywords Violencia [Violence], Enfermería [nursing], Anciano [elderly], Maltrato al anciano [elder mistreatment]. Articles published between 2017 and 2022 in the English, Spanish and Portuguese languages were included. Bardin's method was used for content analysis.

Conclusions:

Nursing professionals, in their interaction with people, are aware of the changes, needs, expectations and realities of older adults today. Cuba is an example regarding the advancement in the promotion of the human rights of the elderly worldwide, a reason why a process of readaptation to the new realities is needed; and therein lies the greatest challenge to be faced by the nursing science.