AÇÕES INTERVENCIONISTAS NO ALIVIO DOS SINTOMAS DE DOENÇAS REUMÁTICAS EM IDOSOS

In recent decades, Brazil has shown an increase in the elderly population and the incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as rheumatic diseases, which compromise the functional capacity of the elderly. The aim of the study was to outline the sociobiodemographic profile and, based on this knowledge, develop a physical exercise program to relieve the symptoms presented by the elderly with rheumatic diseases registered in an extension project. Quantitative, exploratory, descriptive and interventional study performed with 40 elderly people registered at an Extension Center at the State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Jequié-BA. A sociobiodemographic questionnaire developed by the researchers and an interventionist approach with a functional physical exercise program were used. The data were analyzed using the Software Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)® version 20.0. The results were 100% women, 70% between 60-70 years old, 75% brown, 65% housewives, 25% incomplete elementary school I, 95% income from 1 to 3 minimum wages, 100% with osteoarthritis, 75% had SAH, 20% scored 8 and 20% scored 5 for pain, 70% affected in the lumbar spine. The scientific literature indicates the practice of physical exercise as one of the most effective approaches in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. It was concluded that the knowledge of the profile of the elderly made it possible to characterize rheumatic diseases and the symptoms that affected the elderly registered in the extension project, as well as the elaboration of a physical exercise program aimed at improving the symptoms of rheumatic diseases in this group of senior people.