Fortalecimiento del bienestar emocional a través de estrategias de autocuidado en adultos mayores de un centro de salud pública

Abstract

This systematization analyzes the experience of the program “Psychoeducation for the Strengthening of Self-Care and Emotional Well-Being” implemented at the primary health care level in a Public Health Center in Guayaquil. The process followed Óscar Jara’s methodological proposal from a qualitative and interpretative perspective, aimed at critically reconstructing professional practice with older adults. The experience was organized through the systematic review of planning guides, field notes, practice logs, and educational materials. The information was processed using chronological organization and thematic classification criteria. Data were examined through categorical analysis matrices and source triangulation, contrasting the initial planning with actual practice and participants’ perceptions. The reflective analysis identified tensions between the biomedical logic of the public health system and the relational and emotional needs of older adults. It also highlighted the resignification of waiting rooms as spaces for learning and community interaction. The experience allowed an understanding of how psychoeducational strategies, grounded in cognitive-behavioral and systemic approaches, may facilitate emotional awareness, self-care strengthening, and peer support network formation. This work does not aim to measure impact or test hypotheses, but to provide a situated and critical reflection on methodological learning derived from practice, contributing to community and clinical mental health interventions in public health settings.