A dança como recurso terapêutico para a melhoria da saúde de idosas institucionalizadas da cidade de fortaleza-ce

Abstract

Introduction: We know that Brazil, previously referred to as a country of young people, is in the process of demographic transition and presents a rapid population aging, however we face discrimination, and a shortage of proposals aimed at this audience in order to favour autonomy. Objective: To describe the benefits that the practice of dance can provide, as a therapeutic resource, to institutionalized elderly women in the city of Fortaleza / CE. Method: The research that gave rise to this study used an investigation with a qualitative approach, supported by the action research method, carried out in an interventional program in the form of a dance workshop with seven institutionalized elderly women. Semi-structured interviews were carried out, analysed through the operators of the Collective Subject Discourse (DSC) method. Results: Categories were found that reveal that dance provides benefits such as: increased physical disposition to perform activities of daily living, improved pain and the recovery of self-esteem. Conclusions: The data indicate that dance can be an important therapeutic resource for improving the physical fitness of the elderly, thus contributing to healthy aging, encompassing physical and emotional aspects.