COVID-19 e a saúde mental de pessoas idosas participantes em centros de convivência

Abstract

The present study is centered on exploring the significance of elderly participation in Community Centers for the mental well-being of individuals frequenting these facilities. In order to comprehensively grasp the subject matter and its associated themes, including pertinent concepts essential for a thorough understanding of the topic, extensive readings were conducted in the fields of gerontology, mental health, legislation, and COVID-19, alongside discussions on topics such as social interaction groups and recent changes in basic social protection services, specifically the restructuring of social assistance services. This research endeavors to investigate the perceptions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of elderly attendees at the Community Centers in the municipality of Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil. Utilizing a qualitative approach grounded in the dialectical critical method, the study incorporated an exploratory literature review and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted with users from eight Community Centers for the elderly in Ponta Grossa, totaling sixteen participants of both genders. To facilitate data organization, the IRAMUTEC software was employed to establish the textual corpus, construct word clouds, and generate similarity trees. Analysis of the results adhered to the content analysis procedures outlined by Bardin (1977), involving three sequential phases: pre-analysis, material exploration, and treatment of results, inference, and interpretation. Data analysis revealed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of elderly Community Center attendees through their responses. The interviews were conducted with the full consent of the elderly participants, who were briefed beforehand on the research objectives and procedures. The findings underscore the pivotal role of Community Centers for the elderly, not only in fostering human empowerment and preventing social isolation and exclusion but also as environments conducive to interpersonal interaction, experience sharing, and promoting active and healthy aging.