Complex sociocultural activities and older adults’ protagonism from an occupational therapy perspective: a methodological proposal

Abstract

This essay presents “complex sociocultural activities” as an intervention methodology in the field of occupational therapy in culture, oriented toward strengthening older adults’ protagonism. The proposal is organized as a systematized process composed of interdependent stages: (a) participatory planning; (b) recording and documenting creative pathways; and (c) culminating in community-open events. This methodology differs from traditional workshops by prioritizing events engagement, relationship building, circulation across territories, and recognition of older adults as cultural producers. By understanding culture as a right and an opportunity for social participation, this approach shifts occupational therapy from a logic centered on the health–disease binary to a sociocultural and communitybased logic in which cultural devices become legitimate spaces for care, creation, and citizenship. The experiences analyzed, developed within a university outreach project, included fashion shows, theater, photonovels, and intergenerational cultural events, with older adults actively participating in all stages. The results indicate that the effectiveness of the methodology, understood as the capacity to promote cultural agency, expand belonging, strengthen self-esteem, and reframe life trajectories, depends on the integrality of the process. This integrity is characterized by ethical, aesthetic, political, and pedagogical coherence across all stages, as well as by shared responsibility and the active participation of those involved. The essay concludes that complex sociocultural activities constitute a reproducible methodology across different contexts, contributing to innovative and transformative practices in the field of occupational therapy in culture and aging.