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Influence of physical and recreational activities on self-esteem of the elderly

Abstract:

Introduction: The mood in the elderly is essential for them to interact and participate in activities proper of the family, the society and the environment where they live. Physical activity can favour that process by increasing the quality of life of the subject. Objective: The present paper demonstrates the importance of physical and recreational activities as a means to improve self-esteem in the elderly. Methods: It was applied a questionnaire to measure self-esteem (Rosenberg Test) to a sample of 20 elders. In addition is applied a group of physical-recreational activities designed according to the characteristics and preferences of the sample. Results: The results of the post tests showed an increase of self-esteem in 5,85 percentage points, which represents 14,63 percent of the general self-esteem improvement, an aspect reinforced with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, which demonstrates a significant level between the pre-test and the post-test applied (p=0,000). Conclusions: The physical-recreational activities designed are decisive to keep a physical and mental health as a means to reach a better quality of life in the elderly by increasing their self-esteem.