The need to train tourist animators specialized in animation of the elderly refers to the fact that statistics indicate that of the different markets that visit us, about 25% are elderly, so a qualified staff is needed that takes into account the needs, limitations and expectations of such an important segment. In the training of the tourist entertainer, the knowledge of animation for the elderly must be deepened and varied animation programs should be made where the characteristics of this age group, their concerns and preferences are considered, valuing the importance of their satisfaction as a customer.
Keywords: elderly, tourist entertainer and tourist animation.
Introduction.
The present work has as Title: Need to train tourist animators specialized in animation of the elderly. Its main objective is to train animators with deep knowledge of the elderly segment, taking into account the characteristics, limitations and expectations of this age group and the importance of considering these for the preparation of a varied entertainment program, with sociocultural activities, environmentalists, group dynamics, where self-confidence, self-realization, self-esteem are strengthened and customers feel directly cared for and satisfied.
This work arises from visits made to different facilities where it can be seen that the animators do not have all the knowledge of the characteristics of the adult May and sometimes the animation program does not take into account varied activities aimed at this segment.
We must consider that about 25% of the clients who visit us are older adults and expect to be treated with respect, taking into account their limitations, their recreational needs, their concerns, their motivations and the entertainer must have the necessary knowledge to achieve a good communication and empathy with these clients.
For this work we rely on the observation of animation activities, the exchange with the animators, which showed us that we must deepen the `` training process in the Workshop for the elderly and continue offering training and updated courses on this topic for the animators. tourist or other interested personnel.
We consult a variety of bibliography that in the end we relate to deepen and broaden and update our knowledge and thus contribute to the training of the tourist entertainer on a subject as important as animation for the elderly.
Development.
The first thing we must specify when we are going to deal with older adult issues is to know how this market is defined according to the age group.
- Third Age: It is a common definition that includes people over 55-60 years of age, whether or not they are in the category of retirees, emeritus or pensioners. Older Adult: it is a more current and comprehensive definition, it includes people up to 80 years of age and also includes longevity that begins at 81 years of age.
With these current names, the most negative connotations of terms such as "old age" or "old age" have been overcome.
In addition, there are other terms to define this market for the elderly, such as:
- Mature Market Postwar Generation Seniors Market Gray Tourism Golden Age Older Silver Stars Senior Tourism Snow Birds Older Adults Third Youth among others.
In recent years this market has become the main target for the tourism industry in general and the hotel industry in particular.
The animation teams and especially the animator who will work with this segment must bear in mind that the main problems faced by older adults are health and income.
Among the health problems we find, the normal loss of vision, hearing and memory and the incidence of chronic diseases and these manifest, appear or advance at different speeds depending on the individual.
The level of income is the second great problem, because the economic well-being of the elderly depends on it. The most developed societies provide health insurance and pension services; although in not so developed countries and in the third world, the situation is quite different, where many older adults live in precarious situations and / or extreme poverty.
But in all societies in general, older people are still necessary and useful to the community, even though many insist on denying it.
Other problems that the older adult faces and that the animator should know about are:
- The biological The financial The vital use (how to manage the time they have left of life) Sexuality Death (anguish of death and what will happen after death) Social relationships Recreation (many older people They do not know what they are going to do with the free time that they used to spend working, or how to recreate themselves, or what physical activities to do).
The entertainment team and especially the entertainer who will attend this age group must also know the activities preferred by this age or their main entertainment:
Social leisure:
- Visits to families Attendance at clubs or associations Sightseeing Games of cards, dice, dominoes Tasting coffee or tea with friends Organized trips to museums Concerts and presentations of works Religious practices (such as pilgrimages at Easter) and affiliations to sports or recreational clubs (rowers, hunting, fishing, etc.).
It is important to take into account this knowledge that will allow us to conceive an animation program aimed at the elderly with activities of this type.
Other aspects to consider in order to better understand this market is to know its needs, motivations and expectations.
We must understand that the human being is a social being who recreates himself when he is in a continuous exchange relationship with his peers.
When people enjoy their free time, they prefer to have contacts with other individuals rather than solitude.
They need to feel welcome, important, assisted, recognized, appreciated, understood, to satisfy their aspirations.
It must be borne in mind that human beings not only have physiological needs, which are undoubtedly extremely important, but also have security, social, psychological and self-realization needs.
The main needs to take into account are the common ones related to:
Fair prices.
Quality in the recreational or restaurant service offered.
Security.
Respect.
Reliability.
Other needs are:
Behavioral characteristics
Individual behaviors
Usually restricted capacities at these ages.
The issue of needs is closely related to that of motivations.
Motivations generate directive forces that will provoke a response. Achieving goals prompts action.
It allows the satisfaction of the need that originated that behavior.
Therefore, motivations in the elderly are of vital importance and the animation group must be able to motivate that client if they keep these characteristics in mind.
The Motives are internal mechanisms that direct the behavior of the person to achieve certain goals and satisfy them.
The reason is something that moves.
Impulsive cause that determines the will.
It is made up of several components:
The first, the need to reduce the subject to the desired level.
The second would be the courage to find the goal.
The third is the belief in the information that led him to consume what was offered.
Attitudes are the individual predispositions to evaluate in people:
- They can be positive or negative.
- Favorable or unfavorable.
- In such a way that an attitude of a client, user, guest, visitor, etc. can be modified with personalized treatment and excellent service.
People's Expectations play a bigger role when choosing.
The interpretation is to transmit an idea in the place, of the natural, historical and cultural legacy, in a pleasant way because it is a message suitable for leisure time
Leisure depends on multiple variables:
- Physical, marital status, etc.
Like all human beings, those who belong to this segment also have their temperament, what differentiates them from others, their character, their very own concept of themselves, as well as their capacities, these are understood as individual psychological peculiarities that allow some They may be able to do an activity with more or less success, that is, capacity for language, communication, sport, culture and others and that the animator must bear in mind.
We can summarize in terms of the characteristics of this segment that older adults generally constitute a calm group, aware of environmental preservation, open to new sociocultural experiences, with many needs for acceptance, recognition and self-realization, which makes it an excellent public, especially for recreational consumption. However, of this age group there is a lack of statistics and antecedents regarding their free time behavior.
We always recommend in different scenarios.
Incorporate into the current recreational-socio-cultural programs of any kind aimed at the population segment of the elderly, the “group dynamics” that:
They favor the self-worth of the individual.
They reinforce self-image.
Raise awareness of the changing nature of self-esteem.
They seek a climate of trust.
They enhance their creativity, communication and group behavior.
Now, in order to achieve efficient animation management, it is important to take into consideration for the design of the program to take into account the characteristics of the installation and its environment, the main markets they receive and the particularities of its segmentation, in other words form, to whom the action is directed; the objectives to be pursued, the for what.
The what refers to the content that will be specifically addressed, whether it is information, facts, culture, identity, environment of the type in question, as well as the interpretation given by the animation team so that it is easy and adequate to understand the topic.
The how that includes the methodologies, techniques, procedures to be used, for example: workshops, demonstrations, performances, conferences, classes, competitions, contests, walks, etc.
Finally, the with what, groups human capital, financial and material resources; the efficient use of each one of them, with all that it represents: let's say the preparation of the personnel, the analysis of costs, assigned budgets, resources used, equipment, etc.
That is why, taking these premises into account, it is important to train animators with solid knowledge in the elderly in order to achieve a program that meets the expectations of this segment. In addition, the tourist entertainer must have the following characteristics that allow him to achieve excellence in animation:
- Know several languages Have a good bearing and look Possess culture and history and Geography of Cuba and the world Know how to dance Have charisma, talent, basic knowledge and personality Be fair and disciplined Mastering the most representative sports Develop skills related to acting, makeup, sewing, props, music and communication Achieve physical development that allows you to stay active all the time Be professional in your work Know psychological characteristics of each age (Important for working with the elderly) Mastering projection on stage Knowing (miking, dancing). Good relationships with all clients and workers (sociable). Worrying about their professional and comprehensive improvement. Greater socio-cultural training. Knowledge of different types of animation.Technical knowledge of working with teams More training in personality as an entertainer Have the desire to be a good animator Know each of the Cuban rhythms and their explanation Mastering working with children Behavior and control to work with all types of clients.Ease of communication. Skills to be a team. Basic elementary knowledge for the development of animation activities in a general sense.
The tourist entertainment service aimed at the elderly must focus on programs with a sports-sociocultural content that contemplates the autochthonous, the typical Cuban and the natural conditions of the country, to facilitate relationships of coexistence, communication and other forms of expression, optimizing rest, fun, entertainment and personal development that translates into quality of life for this client. You have to give her an unforgettable experience to achieve repetition.
We must distinguish from the elderly segment, their interests and motivations, related to entertainment during their stay in our hotels. This segment is characterized by being very concerned about the care and conservation of the environment, which contributes to the realization of sustainable tourism, another reason to take into account. Furthermore, studies carried out have shown that the highlight of enjoyment of animation actions for the elderly customer is the night activity.
This is because at that time they show interest and curiosity for the artistic signs that make up Cuban culture, expressed through shows and enhanced socialization with people with whom they have established friendly ties.
In addition, at that time, the relationship with the animators influences as axes of organized recreation that promote a welcoming atmosphere, and from the physical point of view, the goodness of the night temperature influences. In the evenings, participation in festive actions, such as shows, where they can socialize, critically appreciate the shows, meet and reach total relaxation, closes a cycle that corresponds to the physical-socio-cultural characteristics of this segment.
In order to achieve a well-defined itinerary of recreation for the elderly, a proposal for a typology of animation activities must be started, which, taking into account the nature of the activities, comprises four large groups:
- Sports and pre-sports activities, which include aquagym, stretching, light aerobics, walks, various games in swimming pools, etc. Playful activities, which include tournaments of darts, dominoes, chess, rings, games with dice, cards, bingo, petanque or bolcha etc. Classroom activities and group dynamics, which constitute demonstrations, classes, competitions, debates, etc. about dance, percussion, folklore, cocktails and language, among others. Shows and shows among which you can find the water ballet, piano-bar. with animation and characterized nights (welcome, farewell, folklore, peasant, Caribbean, comic, representations of works, magic presentations, etc.)
Incorporating group dynamics into the animation programming aimed at the elderly segment, favors the self-worth of the individual, reinforces the self-image, raises awareness of the changing nature of self-esteem, seeks a climate of trust, in addition to enhancing their creativity, communication and group behavior.
Proposals of activities for the elderly segment.
A sample of activities for the elderly segment that could be included in the entertainment program are:
Hiking: After carrying out a study and tour of the environment of the facility, a trail can be organized that includes flora and fauna, both native or endemic to the town or country, as well as others of interest for their beauty or use, etc., during the tour exchange with clients about our flora and fauna. This activity will last 30 to 35 minutes and will be carried out in the morning when the temperature is more pleasant and energy consumption is medium.
Time 9:30 am to 10:00 am
Bingo: In this activity you will alternate between number and number dance competition, or demonstrate a Cuban rhythm, questions about our history, culture, Musical instruments etc. Time 11:30 to 12:10 pm.
Get to know our 7 First Villas: founded by the Spanish in this activity in a simple and enjoyable way, they will be introduced to you from the first village founded by the Spanish Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Baracoa and its location in the Cuban geography as far as Santiago de Cuba last of the first 7 Villas. Time 3:00 pm to 3:20 pm
Our Orichas: In this activity, through a parade of the older Orichas, they will be shown how they dress, the color that identifies them, their dances, their outfits and in a simple way their syncretization with the Catholic saints.
Time: 9:00 pm to 9:20 pm
A sample of activities that could enrich the animation program aimed at the elderly segment together with short walks, low energy consumption games, cocktail classes, Cuban recipe classes, artist and his work where a visual artist is made known Cuban and his work, etc. It is recommended in all activities to measure customer satisfaction either by observation, surveys or interviews.
Conclusions.
Through this small work it is evident that the elderly have needs related to communication, respect, good treatment, reliability, security, as well as others associated with their behaviors, behaviors and restricted capacities typical of age, like no other segment
It is found that the elderly have defined their recreation itinerary, implementing a cycle that corresponds to their bio-psycho-social characteristics.
It is concluded that in the design of tourist entertainment programs for the elderly in the hotel, the following must be considered: the characteristics and interest in environmental preservation, recreation itinerary, their participation by types of activities and take into account doing them differently., continuously evaluating the level of satisfaction achieved and that they comply with the bases of organizing, directing, promoting and executing them.
In addition, we recommend incorporating into current animation programs aimed at the older adult segment, group dynamics that favor the self-worth of the individual, reinforce the self-image, raise awareness of the changing nature of self-esteem, seek a climate of trust in addition to enhancing their creativity, communication and group behavior.
Bibliography.
- Ander-Egg, Ezequiel. "Methodologies and practices of socio-cultural animation". Buenos Aires, 1997 Capote, René. Environment, community and the elderly. Useful elements about longevity. Satisfactory longevity: comprehensive view. First International Congress of the Caribbean Medical Association. Cuba, April 2003 Chaves, Antonio; Mesalles, Lluis. "The entertainer. How to organize activities in a fun hotel ”. Editorial Alertes SA Ediciones Virtud, Barcelona, Spain, 2001. Díaz Pita, María Antonia. Proposal for an educational-cultural offer aimed at the Third Master Thesis market. Center for Tourism Studies, 2003. Edith, Dixie. The island combs gray hair. Section in Cuba, Bohemia Magazine, year 96, No. 11, May 2003, pp. 24 to 30.INTUR, Methodological Technical Manual for Tourist Animation Activity. Cuba, 1986.Quality of life. Encarta 2004. Web center, To the best quality of life information online. Microsoft Corporation, 2004.Mateo Rodríguez, José. Environmental planning. Dossier of the postgraduate course of the Master's in Geography, Environment and Territorial Planning. Uh. Faculty of Geography 2002. Ribera Blanco, Luis de la. "In search of a Cuban tourist animation for the international segment of the elderly in all-inclusive hotels." Master's Thesis. Faculty of Geography, University of Havana, 2006."In search of a Cuban tourist animation for the international segment of the elderly in all-inclusive hotels." Master's Thesis. Faculty of Geography, University of Havana, 2006."In search of a Cuban tourist animation for the international segment of the elderly in all-inclusive hotels." Master's Thesis. Faculty of Geography, University of Havana, 2006.
