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Abstract(s)
A referência ao envelhecer como associado à “passagem do tempo” indica que é algo natural e inevitável,
em que ocorrem transformações a vários níveis, que a sociedade assume como fazendo parte do processo
de envelhecimento. De tal modo que quando alguém mais jovem apresenta, de forma mais evidente,
algumas dessas transformações associadas à “passagem do tempo”, referimo-nos a essa pessoa como
parecendo um velho. Mas também existe a situação inversa, em que pessoas mais velhas não apresentam
essas transformações, características das pessoas da sua idade. Estes exemplos demonstram que o
envelhecimento não ocorre de forma homogénea, e varia de pessoa para pessoa. Os recursos de que cada
pessoa dispõe para se adaptar a esta fase da vida são fortemente influenciados pelos percursos de cada
um, os quais influenciam, de forma determinante, o processo de envelhecimento. Não se envelhece da
mesma maneira no espaço rural ou numa grande metrópole, tendo uma vida ativa ou uma vida
sedentária, partilhando uma ampla rede de relações sociais ou vivendo de forma solitária.
No entanto, as inevitáveis alterações verificadas durante o processo de envelhecimento têm conduzido a
representações sociais tendencialmente associadas a estereótipos e preconceitos, que influenciam e
modelam a forma, muitas das vezes discriminatória, como a sociedade interage com as pessoas idosas,
como se estas pessoas, chegadas a esta fase da vida, vissem esbatidas as diferenças individuais que as
caracterizam e distinguem enquanto seres humanos, e passassem todas a estar desprovidas de quaisquer
competências.
The reference to growing old as associated with the "passage of time" indicates that it is something natural and inevitable, in which transformations occur at various levels, which society assumes as being part of the ageing process. So that when someone younger presents, in a more evident way, some of those transformations associated with the "passage of time", we refer to that person as looking like an old man. However, there is also the opposite situation, in which older people do not present these transformations, characteristic of people of their age. These examples show that ageing does not occur homogeneously and varies from person to person. The resources available to each person to adapt to this phase of life are strongly influenced by each person's pathways, which have a decisive influence on the ageing process. One does not age in the same way in a rural area or in a big metropolis, living an active or sedentary life, sharing a wide network of social relationships or living alone. However, the inevitable changes that occur during the ageing process have led to social representations that tend to be associated to stereotypes and prejudices, which influence and shape the way, often discriminatory, in which society interacts with the elderly, as if these people, reaching this stage of life saw the individual differences that characterize and distinguish them as human beings blurred, and all of them became devoid of any skills.
The reference to growing old as associated with the "passage of time" indicates that it is something natural and inevitable, in which transformations occur at various levels, which society assumes as being part of the ageing process. So that when someone younger presents, in a more evident way, some of those transformations associated with the "passage of time", we refer to that person as looking like an old man. However, there is also the opposite situation, in which older people do not present these transformations, characteristic of people of their age. These examples show that ageing does not occur homogeneously and varies from person to person. The resources available to each person to adapt to this phase of life are strongly influenced by each person's pathways, which have a decisive influence on the ageing process. One does not age in the same way in a rural area or in a big metropolis, living an active or sedentary life, sharing a wide network of social relationships or living alone. However, the inevitable changes that occur during the ageing process have led to social representations that tend to be associated to stereotypes and prejudices, which influence and shape the way, often discriminatory, in which society interacts with the elderly, as if these people, reaching this stage of life saw the individual differences that characterize and distinguish them as human beings blurred, and all of them became devoid of any skills.
Description
Keywords
Envelhecimento Idosos Construção social Representação social Ageing Elderly Social construction Social representation . Faculdade de Artes e Humanidades
Citation
Carlos Maia (2021). Perceções de envelhecimento e construção social da velhice. In Joaquim Pinheiro (coord.), Olhares sobre o envelhecimento. Estudos interdisciplinares, vol. I, pp. 169-178. DOI: 10.34640/universidademadeira2021maia ISBN: 978-989-8805-63-8
Publisher
Centro de Desenvolvimento Académico, Universidade da Madeira