EXPERIENCE REPORT: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY AT THE BOM PASTOR HOME PROMOTING WELL-BEING FOR ELDERLY RESIDENTS

Abstract

This work describes the internship experience in Social and Community Psychology, carried out in a Long-Term Care Institution for the Elderly (ILPI). The practical activities involved 18 interns divided into groups, who carried out collective dynamics (games, music, sensory workshops) and visits to the rooms focusing on empathetic listening for residents with mobility limitations. The intervention was supported by individual and group guidance conducted by the supervising professor. The objective of the work is to share an internship experience in an ILP. This study is characterized as an experience report. The search methodology was carried out through the Google Scholar and SciELO databases, in addition to being based on the Lifespan Psychology model and its Selection, Optimization and Compensation (SOC) model by Paul Baltes (1997) and Fritz Heider's Attribution Theory (1958). The results indicated that playful interventions and emotional support reduced feelings of isolation, promoting autonomy and a sense of belonging. It was observed that valuing memories and organizing spaces for social interaction, such as the closing event with bingo and an exhibition of student work, were crucial for the redefinition of identity in old age. It is concluded that the role of Social Psychology in long-term care facilities can minimize the impacts of the breakdown of family ties, demonstrating that group practices and ethical care can improve quality of life and promote dignified aging. The experience allowed for the integration of theory and practice in the development of fundamental professional competencies.