MENTORING WITH OLDER ADULTS: BUILDING SOCIO-EMOTIONAL SKILLS IN BRAZILIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

The rapid aging of the Brazilian population demands adaptation of health institutions and medical training, which must overcome the biomedical perspective and incorporate a humanistic and comprehensive approach. This is a qualitative study that analyzed nine reflective portfolios of medical students from a public university, resulting from mentoring meetings with elderly people in the community. Bardin's content analysis categorized the discourses with a focus on the elderly and the students. The elderly people interviewed had diverse socioeconomic profiles. Their narratives revealed emotions such as appreciation and anxiety. The students' reflections indicated maturity on social and emotional issues of aging and the development of skills such as communication, trust building, and attentive observation. Although the practice did not simulate a consultation, it inserted the students into the community reality. The interaction promoted awareness of social determinants of health and the practice of active listening and communicative adjustment, which are core competencies for humanized care. Mentoring with older adults proved to be a valuable pedagogical tool for the early development of socio-emotional skills in medical students, connecting them to the reality of this age group and promoting a more humanized education aligned with the needs of an aging country.