Sociedade senescente: análise de vínculos sociais numa instituição de longa permanência em Campina Grande - Paraíba.

Abstract

The last census executed by the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute (IBGE) indicates that 11% of the Brazilian population is formed by elderly people, and the State of Paraíba is in the ifth place with the largest contingent. This fact has led sentient changes in the contemporary society and, for this purpose, the long-term care institutions for elderly (ILPI's) are realized as part of social reality and they are necessary to the elderly care that are at risk. This article intend to discuss the complex social reality through the presentation and analysis of an extension project results, in social sciences ield, executed at São Vicente de Paulo Institute, in Campina Grande, State of Paraiba. In this institution, we emphasized the practices of sociability built between the institutional mediators and the rest home residents, and between them and our group of extension workers. In order to observe the proposed objectives, we adopted the oral history methodology, through the technic of life history, and participant observation. It was concluded that, on one hand the (ILPI) can be seen as a formal environment and governed by rules, on the other hand, the institution can enable new experiences of generational sociability among people who share the same social status and physical space, and between them and the caregivers. Diferently of the stereotypes produced by common sense, about the social immutability that features a (ILPI), we hope to contribute in order those diferent perceptions about the institutionalized aging may be recognized.