"HAPPINES ISA THING THAT THE EYES TRANSMIT."PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL CONNECTIONS IN OLDER PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE PHYSICAL EXERCISES

The aim of this study was to verify the older people's perceptions about the characteristics that contributed to the social connections in a systematic physical exercises program. For this, a qualitative method was used, and 18 participants were interviewed after a 16-week training program. A face-to-face interview was carried out, based on a script with semi-structured questions. The data was analyzed using the Thematic Analysis method. Four general themes were identified: a) extrinsic motivation, b) group characteristics, c) personal characteristics, and d) professional characteristics. Furthermore, some attributes were identified, such as identify familiar people in the programs, belong in a group of participants with similar age, be open to dialogue and have professionals with socio-affective characteristics such as communication, empathy, among others, which can influence the perception of social connections during physical exercise, enhancing its benefits and contributing to a physically active life.