Occupational therapy in the aging process and retirement: the construction of healthful spaces

DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.200933.2.15

Abstract

In societies where the value of people is measured by what they do to earn their living, the interruption of work activities
may cause a deep disorganization of daily life, with an absence of projects, social intentions for life and social roles. This research had
as its objective to analyze the effect of retirement on identity and subjectivity of old people and effects this has in other roles and activities
played by them, besides the contribution of occupational therapy for their social insertion. This is a qualitative research, carried
through by means of a case study from March 2007 to January 2008, where the central complaint of patients was the great disruption of
daily life after retirement. Data collection involved an exploratory stage, planning, data collecting and evidences and analysis of results.
Results show a more active position of the patient through the enrollment in significant activities, rescue of social roles, reduction of
psychosomatic symptoms and the search for medical consultations, improvements in family relationships, and the construction of life
projects. One may conclude that the intervention of occupational therapists, before and after retirement, may contribute for an active
aging, through the transforming action of activities carried through in the Occupational Therapy setting.