Older people have been, and continue to be, the most affected by a pandemic that not only took the lives of thousands of elderly people in this country, but also the possibility of interacting with the rest of the world, which for many was a major setback in your health, both mental and physical. With the end of the restrictions, the return of activity programs, socialization, has returned some of what was lost in these almost three years. In Santa Cruz, the program Holy Cross Life It seeks precisely to give the elderly of the capital those spaces in which to share, do physical exercise, but above all, share.
The Social Action area wanted to know the opinion of the major participants in the different activities, and the result makes it clear that the main benefit they find is on an emotional level. Thus, when the impact of the activities on the state of the participants is evaluated, the result is that more than 88% of those surveyed indicate significant improvements at an emotional level, 86% point to improvements at a cognitive level and 76% have noticed improvements in the physical aspect.
In general, the degree of satisfaction of the elderly people surveyed is very good since the places and spaces where the activities are carried out and the hours available to them have been taken into account. Regarding the contents, 47 people out of the 50 people surveyed are very satisfied.
According to the results of this survey, between 90 and 94% of older people surveyed show very good satisfaction in the general improvement of their quality of life by attending the activities of this project, as well as how to feel more active, expanding their social contact after the pandemic before COVID 19 and consider that they apply what they have learned in their daily life. Between 6 and 10% rate it as good satisfaction.
All this is specified in improvements at a physical, cognitive and emotional level thanks, for example, to the reunion with their peer groups after the pandemic, increasing their mood and motivation, to which they add the motivation to learn new things.
When asked about the most positive aspects of the active aging workshops, their answers range from there being more activities per year, through social relations with the group and monitors, gymnastics, activities on the beach of Las Teresitas or combat loneliness. Also the fact of having to leave the house, have a routine or work on memory.
On the negative side, what they value worst is that classes or schedules are interrupted, but also that there are no different levels in the cognitive stimulation workshops so that everyone can advance at their own pace.
As for what they think needs to be improved, the respondents point out that there should be more hours of activities, more days at the beach and dancing, more gymnastics, activities in the afternoon or more visits and excursions, and it is that the latter activity is the one that, by far, is the one that the older people who participate in this program like to do the most. “It should be noted that the most requested activities by the 50 people participating in the general satisfaction assessment of the activity are excursions and cultural visits, stating that they feel very enthusiastic and motivated to go outside the municipality and visit other municipalities. of the island, as well as a museum such as the Pyramids of Güímar, the Butterfly Garden in Icod de los Vinos, among other possible alternatives to participate, learn about and carry out local tourism”, concludes the analysis of this survey.
The Councilor for Social Action, Rosario González, expresses her satisfaction at the reception that this program has had among the elderly in the municipality, and in which some 300 people have participated so far. “The Santa Cruz Vital program seeks to ensure that the elderly in the municipality remain in their environment with the highest possible quality of life, promoting their autonomy and independence to fight against unwanted loneliness through proposals that cover the physical, cognitive, the emotional and the social”, he points out.
The mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, points out that “in just a few months, the action of this program has been noticed and the idea is to strengthen it so that it becomes a benchmark for our elders, so that we can help compensate for that void that occurred when The Ansina program that the Cabildo gave to all the elders of the Island disappeared”.
Edilia Hernández is one of those elders. She is very happy with the activities carried out in Santa Cruz Vital, she even points out that “if there were more days it would even be better”. And it is that according to this user, “it is not only because of the activities, but because of what it means for many older people, which is to overcome the fear imposed by the pandemic, without leaving home, many even worsened their health considerably”.
Edilia, who also chairs the San Albino Neighborhood Association, in Tíncer, points out that “many of our partners, in these two years, although they had very incipient problems, have lost a lot, while others, as soon as they have resumed activities, show a lot of improvement.”
The actions seek, above all, to promote the acquisition of healthy habits and routines in our elders, so that, later, they are able to continue these activities autonomously.
