Análise da produção científica sobre o envelhecimento - um estudo de caso

This case study focuses on the trajectory of academic publications on aging and the older adults, within the scope of the master’s degree in social education - Lifelong Learning and Intervention at the School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança. This research aims to: i) identify the number of papers produced; ii) analyze the most recurrent themes in research/intervention; iii) indicate the most used research methods, as well as data collection instruments; iv) investigate the representation of the old adults. For this purpose, a mixed-methods approach was used, based on document research in the institutional repository of dissertations, project work and internship reports published from 2011 to 2024. Regarding the main results, out of a total of 94 productions, 25 focus on the area of aging and the old adult population from the perspective of social pedagogy/social education. There was an increase in academic production between 2011 and 2015, with the highest number of publications in this period. It was also evident that most works address the challenges and needs of formal and informal caregivers. Although less frequently, there was a focus on the perceptions and strategies of older adults for active aging. Most of the research conducted was qualitative in nature, using semi-structured interviews. There was also a predominance of productions about other informants in relation to the older adults themselves. In future work, it is important to invest in greater representation of this age group, recognizing their voice and participation in the community.