POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS E A EDUCAÇÃO PARA A TERCEIRA IDADE: CONTORNOS, CONTROVÉRSIAS E POSSIBILIDADES

Abstract

Human aging is revealed as a worldwide phenomenon with wide repercussions, and portrays a new design population which is directly influencing the social, political and economic in Brazil. Today, according to IBGE (2008), about 20 million Brazilians are elderly (10.2% of the population), and this group is continually growing and demanding more action and policies for better living conditions, and the security of their rights elementary (citizenship, equality, health, education, welfare, housing, etc.). Due to the increasing number of elderly, there is the need for further investigations, not only in the natural sciences but also in the social sciences and humanities. Thus, this research is problematic insertion of the elderly in a specific area of education, in line with what is prescribed and recommended public policies for this segment, related to the actual educational experiences in the old city of Ponta Grossa. The main objective of this research was to reflect on the aging process, showing the public policies for the elderly segment, particularly to education for the elderly. This research is qualitative, and went through three stages: the first focused on the literature review on the subject and description and interpretation of policies, the second on the field research, with questionnaires to 219 students at the Open University for Seniors (UATI), Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG), which constitutes a single educational space specific to the elderly in Ponta Grossa, the third step refers to the analysis of data obtained through open and closed questions, with the dialectic as a method of analysis. It was concluded that there are public policies that guarantee access to education, methodologies, materials and teachers adequate to meet the needs of the elderly, however, few actions to ensure compliance with these rights. In the city of Ponta Grossa, there are some actions for the welfare, recreation and integration of the elderly, and stands just UATI, as a place of care for the elderly, preferably for the purpose of education. The work in UATI allows this course is referenced because of their importance, as there are updated, high self-esteem, better quality of life, greater social inclusion and citizen of the elderly.