Vivências da prática de hidroginástica no Compaz Ariano Suassuna: uma experiência com idosos

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the experience of water aerobics practiced by seniors enrolled in COMPAZ Ariano Suassuna. We start from the following question: What are the motives, benefits and degree of satisfaction of older water aerobics practitioners at COMPAZ Ariano Suassuna? In this sense, we start with the following objectives: General objective To analyze the experience of elderly water aerobics practitioners in COMPAZ Ariano Suassuna and specific objectives, to analyze how this knowledge has been produced through the bibliographical review on the practice of water aerobics by the elderly; to identify the motives, benefits and degree of satisfaction of the water aerobics practice performed at COMPAZ Ariano Suassuna; to compare the empirical field data collected in COMPAZ Ariano Suassuna with the literature review. In the development of the research we used the case study methodology, with descriptive method, with 11 elderly people investigated about the reasons, the benefits, the degree of satisfaction and the evaluation of the practice of water aerobics in the COMPAZ Ariano Suassuna. With the bibliographical review, we present three categories of analysis on the practice of water aerobics by the elderly, being: improvement in health, well-being, medical treatment. Comparing the data of the review with those collected in the field, we noticed that the categories resemble each other. Thus, the practice of water aerobics is sought by the majority of the elderly due to improvements in physical, psychological and social health; while in terms of benefits more than 50% consider to have improvements in health due to pain and self esteem, mainly; when asked by the degree of satisfaction almost all the elderly consider the classes of aqua gymnastics very satisfactory for their life; and when they evaluate these classes offered by Recife's City Sports and Leisure Program (PELC), they consider the great majority to be excellent and good. Thus, we realized that the practice of water aerobics by the elderly is of paramount importance to improve their health, to provide their well-being and to obtain medical treatment, as well as the aqua aerobics classes offered by the PELC social program in the COMPAZ Ariano Suassuna were well evaluated.