Idoso, lazer, grupos de convivência: uma comparação entre participantes, não-participantes e egressos

Abstract

This master's thesis aimed at describing and comparing the reasons why elderly citizens search for and engage in Socialization Groups (GC) (restricted to people over 60 years-old of age) (participants); reasons why they leave GCs (former participants); and reasons why GCs may not be of their interest (non-participants). The theoretical background was based on available research on aging and leisure studies, especially onstudies that investigated GCs for the elderly in Brazil. Twelve elders per profile answered an interview, individually; the average age was 70.9 years-old, and all 36 live in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and further analyzed through content analysis' techniques. Results showed that most GC participants justified their choice through a concern with their own health and the needto create and/or maintain interpersonal relationships; these results were similar to previous studies conducted in Brazil. Former participants justified quitting GCs for family reasons, health problems, and/or differences among GCs characteristics (changes in a GC and/or comparison between GCs, both leading to the loss of interest); the firsttwo reasons were reported by previously published empirical studies, while the latter seem to indicate new data. It is worth noting that all former participants admitted to be pleased with the GC they used to attend; nonetheless, throughout the interview 4 out of 12 former participants admitted to have left the GC because of changes occurred on thegroup. This contradiction in responses might suggest difficulties of and/or apprehension in expressing their own will and/or criticism. No previous studies were found that investigated reasons why elderly citizens do not look for GCs in Brazil; the present study found out that most non-participants justified their choice by indicating that therehave the whole day filled with activities and/or they have a negative opinion about GCs. Non-participants having no time for GCs contradicted previous studies conducted in Brazil about how elderly people enjoy free-time and leisure: these studies claimed that people over 60 years-old and/or retired have a fair amount of free-time. Nonparticipants'negative opinions about GCs also showed that they are not familiar to how GCs work and that it might be difficult for them to see themselves, as well as seeing other 60 year-old people, as elderly people in other words, non-participants might have difficulty in accepting the aging process. All 36 citizens highlighted how family is a very important part of their leisure; as important as searching for interpersonal relationships as a motivator to search for and engage in different interpersonal contexts(GCs or similar opportunities for social interaction). Furthermore, non-participants described a wider range of leisure practices they use to engage in, compared to GC participants and former participants. It is most probably that non-participants have a more comfortable financial situation than participants and former participants. It is expected that this study might contribute to people who work to promote leisure for elderly citizens as well as to future scientific research studies dedicated to the leisureelderly link.