Periódico: Tourism and Hospitality International Journal
Fonte: Tourism and Hospitality International Journal ; Vol. 12 No. 1 (2019): March 2019 [21st Edition - EE]; 139-163
Palavras-chave:
Resumo: In the last decades, senior tourism has become a new paradigm for the well-being and happiness of the elderly, contributing to a better quality of life and of physical and psychological health. Due to the exponential growth in the aging population, notably in developed countries, Social Economy Organizations must develop appropriate responses in line with the new profile of elderly people. This paper, included in the VOLTO JÁ project, aims to characterize the profile of elderly people institutionalized in Residential Structures for the Elderly (RSE) and Day Centres, in the Alentejo region, and assess their willingness to participate in social tourism programs. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey applied to elderly people institutionalized in eight RSE and Day Centres in the Alentejo region, Portugal (Alter do Chão, Castelo de Vide, Odemira, Alcáçovas, Grândola, Golegã, Almeirim e Chamusca). A total of 134 institutionalized elderly individuals aged 55 or more without cognitive dysfunction volunteered to participate in the study. The results embrace the profile of the elderly, their future desire related with social tourism, and their willing to participate in senior social tourism programs.