Care of the self in a social group for elderly women

Abstract

Objective: to discover the meaning that a group of elderly women attributed to the dialogical sharing of experiences with their peers, and the way this was inserted in the process of living and aging, relating the findings with Care of the Self by Michel Foucault. Method: an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was carried out with 28 elderly women enrolled in the “Dialoguing Emotions” Workshop, a social group linked to a university in the countryside of the south of Brazil, through an interview and discussion based on the themes of their experiences. That which emerged from the interviews and discussions underwent content analysis. Results: the extraction of units of significance allowed the elaboration of two intertwining thematic categories: Experiences and strengths of aging in a group: the voice of the elderly and the care of the self: looking at myself and the other. Conclusion: an appreciation of the group relationships was identified, and this experience generated empowerment among participants when dealing with life challenges, providing new possibilities for overcoming subjective limiting experiences. The interaction with a space of listening and free expression, contributed to the rediscovery of oneself, enabled new ways to make oneself a subject in a late stage of personal existence, which in practical terms, has repercussions on emotional balance and greater awareness of the self, providing relief, motivation and determination to meet the challenges of longevity.