Physical preparation of the elderly for biopsychosocial rehabilitation in senior citizens' homes

Abstract

The physical preparation of older adults for their biopsychosocial rehabilitation in nursing homes is a complex process. Cuban nursing homes are social institutions that provide comprehensive care to older adults who lack parental support or family members who can care for them during the day. From a functional perspective, they have difficulty performing daily activities. The objective of this article was to propose new relationships in the physical preparation of older adults for their biopsychosocial rehabilitation, based on the connection between the university and nursing homes as a social institution and the role of the Physical Education teacher in this context. Theoretical methods used were: historical-logical, analytical-synthetic, inductive-deductive, and systems approaches, documentary analysis; empirical methods such as observation, modeling, expert judgment, and group interviews, which allowed for a scientific approach to the topic at hand; and percentage calculation as a mathematical statistical method. The results of the diagnosis demonstrated the need to incorporate physical education teachers into the integrated work carried out in these spaces, with the aim of offering comprehensive care to older adults, justifying the construction of new relationships between the university and senior citizen homes as social institutions. A new role proposed for physical education teachers is to integrate them into senior citizen homes, strengthening the university-social institution relationship, promoting better performance of their physical functions, and consequently, adequate biopsychosocial rehabilitation of older adults.