Białystok Conference

“Psychological aspects of activating andeducating older people: Experiences of a

Local Authority in the North Region ofPortugal –Gondomar”

Held in 8th of November, 2017

The Municipality of Gondomar, belongs to the NorthRegion of Portugal and is inside of the Metropolitan Area ofPorto (MAP), which has 17 municipalities. In terms ofgeographical area, Gondomar is the sixth largestmunicipality of the MAP.

Active Aging & Senior

University of Gondomar

As a a Local Authority, we have many competencesestablished by the government and developed a lot ofprojects related with youth, entrepreneurship,employment, non formal training & education forchildren, adults and seniors; social inclusion; active ageing;disadvantage people; several projects related, culture,sport, environment, among others.

The Gondomar is a municipality that makes border with the city of Portoand according to the latest data of the census (2011), it has 168,027inhabitants.

Aging index (Ratio -%)

YEAR 1960 1981 2001 2011

PORTUGAL 27,3 44,9 102,2 127,8

GONDOMAR 15,2 25,8 63,3 97,4

http://www.pordata.pt/Municipios/%C3%8Dndice+de+envelhecimento+segundo+os+Censos-348

Longevity Index (Ratio -%)

YEAR 1960 1981 2001 2011

PORTUGAL 33,6 34,2 41,4 47,9

GONDOMAR 29,9 30,1 37,0 42,3

http://www.pordata.pt/Municipios/%C3%8Dndice+de+longevidade+segundo+os+Censos-347

http://www.net4society.eu/_media/Population_Ageing_in_Europe.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/pdf/active-healthy-ageing/silvereco.pdf

The Senior University of Gondomar is aninformal education project that aims toprovide a social and cultural response, seekingto dynamize and regularly organize cultural,recreational and social activities for people 50years of age or older.

It began on March 15, 2006 with 55 students;The Senior University of Gondomar is part of the

Network of Third Age Universities;Currently, 10 years after its founding, it has 350students, where they are taught more than 60disciplines guided by 51 teachers in a voluntarysystem.

Source: http://www.uf-gvj.pt/projetos/117/#.WfcAjmi0PIU

316 Registered Third-Age Universities 45,235 students. Average of 150 students per Third-Age Universities 785 volunteer teachers. Average of 19 Teachers per Third-Age

Universities

2017 – STUDENTS DATAAge Group

DISCIPLINES OR THEMES IN THE SENIOR UNIVERSITY

English Initiation Cavaquinho Initiation

English I Bandolim

English Conversation Cavaquinho I

French Initiation Guitar Initiation

French I Guitar I

Spanish Initiation Initiation Portuguese Guitar Initiation

Spanish I Physical and Motor Expression

German Initiation Boccia Senior

Portuguese Language and Literature Taekwondo

History, Portugal and the World Laughter Yoga

History of Civilizations Tai Chi

History of Ancient Art Pilates

History of Oporto Folk music and dance Initiation

Legends and Traditions of Oporto Folk music and dance I

Filigree - History and Technique Zumba

Oenology, Vine and Wine History Afro Latin Rhythms

Citizenship and Current World Digital Photography

Psychology Analog Photography

Law and Community Initiation to ICT

Thinking Games ICT I

Preventive medicine Internet and E-mail

Rotating Knowledge and Recycle with Art Video Editing and Mounting

Learn to live Arraiolos, Tricot, Crochet and “Cross Stitch”

Atelier Cutting and Sewing Bricolage

Atelier Decorative and Floral Arts Accordion

Music Training Organ

Musical Mathematics

FREE DISCIPLINES OR THEMES

Group of Violas and Cavaquinhos Tones and Sounds Group

Coral Group Theater Group

Tuna Folk Dance

Orchestra of Accordion Dançata and Tocata

Journalism Hydroginastic

Coral GroupTheater Group Group of Violas and “Cavaquinhos”

RESULT INDICATORS Unit

Quantity

2016/2017

Number of persons registered Student 350

Number of volunteers to teach Volunteers 51

Number of volunteers supporting the secretariat Volunteers 2

Number of Partnerships / Cooperation Protocols Partnerships 5

Number of participations in various activities in the community Student 78

Number of participations and awards in the General Culture

Contest RUTIS

Student 3

Number of students performing in the community in the

various activities

Student 49

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Unit

Quantity

2016/2017

Number of cultural activities carried out Activity 76

Number of disciplines taught Discipline 63

Number of actions / outputs performed by Tuna Group Performances 12

Number of performances / exits performed by the Theater

Group

Performances 15

Number of actions / outputs carried out by the Coral Group Performances 9

Number of performances / exits performed by the Group of

Violas and Cavaquinhos

Performances 11

Number of theses carried out by students of university

institutions (formal education)

Theses 6

The Importance of Senior University in the Quality of

Life and Loneliness of the seniors in Gondomar

The sample consisted of 90 senior individuals, divided into two groups:

Group A consisting of 45 students from the Senior University ofGondomar who have attended it for more than a year; and,

Group B, composed of 45 seniors, who do not attend the SeniorUniversity of Gondomar and who do not “enjoy” or have any socialresponse.

The present study sample is intentional and sequential (Ribeiro, 1999).

Intruments Socio-demographic questionnaire Portuguese version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36

(QOL measurement scale) Portuguese version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale

ME

TH

OD

-P

art

icip

an

ts

RESULTS

MAIN CONCLUSIONSThe QOL of the participants who attend the Senior University of Gondomar

when compared to those (of the same resident community) who do not have a

social response of the type is superior in a statistically significant way (mainly

the Mental Component).

Within the components of the SF-36:

a) The physical component of the group of students of the Senior University

of Gondomar does not reveal itself in a statistically significant way when

compared with the other group (except in the physical performance);

b) It is in the mental component in which the group of students of the Senior

University of Gondomar expresses itself in a statistically significant way

when compared with the other group (in all its subcomponents).

RESULTS

MAIN CONCLUSIONS

The Lonliness of the participants who attend the Senior University of

Gondomar when compared to those (of the same resident community) who do

not have a social response of the type is inferior in a statistically significant

way.

Correlations between the Lonliness variable and the QOL:

The coefficients obtained, in a general analysis, indicate that the linear

associations are negative, ie, the greater the results of the components and

dimensions of the SF-36 the smaller the degree of lonliness (except in the

subcomponent of physical performance).