Coming of age and social participation

Abstract

This work aims at understanding the motivations that led to social interaction the elderly who took part of the 2001 version of the Divisão de Medicina de Reabilitação do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo Third Age Global Service Program, a therapeutic program aiming at offering the elderly improvement opportunities physical, psychological and social-wise. A quantitative and qualitative research, based on the Social Evaluation Index used by Social Assistants operating in the Division was conducted on a universe of seventeen pacients. This group is mostly female, and the ladies involved associated interpresonal relationship to an opportunity of social interaction. The will to establish links with other people is the main drive behind their participation in the program of activities. It becomes clear that the members of this group can be safely considered as socialy active, according to the participation concepts that suggest individuals should search for new activities and relationships when reaching old age.