O envelhecer e a morte: sob o olhar dos idosos.

Abstract

The aging process takes place individually, producing psychological, biological , social and economic impacts. Thus, the perception of aging is very individual, and is related to experiences and how it is perceived by the subject who experiences. The complexity, the acceptance of difficulty and the ban on discussing the finitude of life hinder the development of fear of death and dying process, both at the individual and family environments. Considering the difficulty in treating about finitude, especially with the elderly, the present study aimed to analyze the perception of the elderly about the aging process and its relationship to death and dying , how they deal with these changes and attitudes expressed on these facts and more specifically understand about the concept of aging and death for the elderly; identify how the elderly deal with aging changes and what its relationship to death and dying; relate the attitudes manifested aging and death; identify the various meanings of death for the elderly. This is an exploratory descriptive study of quantitative and qualitative nature. The specific field of study of this research was in an environment of living of the elderly in the city of Cajazeiras / PB Group of Pastoral of the Elderly of the Pastoral da São João Bosco - GPI. The sample consisted of 20 subjects, aged 60 years or older, able to communicate verbally, without dementiating characteristics or mental disorders, participate in social group for at least six months, be able to understand the purpose of research and take part in the study. The sampling was non probabilistic for convenience, the elements of the sample were chosen for being the most accessible or easy to be evaluated. As instruments for data collection was used a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semistructured interview guide. Demographic data were analyzed by the simple method of percentage of statistical technique and the speeches were analyzed using content analysis technique proposed by Bardin. The results showed that the majority of participants were female ( 70%), with predominant age group 70-79 years (55%), married ( 45%), level of education ranging from incomplete primary education (65%), high school (20%) and illiterate autointitulados (15%), Catholicism (100%). In relation to the analyzed contents were organized into four categories: 1) The look of the elderly about the aging process, highlighting the following reporting units: dependenc , suffering, resilience; 2) Coping strategies, with the registration units: group living, functional capacity, divine otherness; 3 ) The perception of death and dying, listed the record units: natural process, piety and fear; 4) Relationship between aging and death, with the registration units: concreteness, divine will, the life cycle. The construction of this study allowed a reflective look at aging and death and the understanding of their meaning for a group of elderly. It unveiled the aging and death are a natural process of human existence, but not always accepted by beings who experience it. Thus, talk about the process of aging and death enables an understanding of being and their social, cultural, psychological and spiritual dimensions.