Population ageing is one of the most notorious phenomena in the world today, bringing with it cultural, social and political repercussions. Brazil is a rapidly ageing country. Today, the National Policy for the Elderly has as its fundamental guideline the maintenance of the autonomy and functional capacity of the elderly. It can be concluded that physical and mental activity leads to quality ageing, as it promotes improvements in respiratory capacity, cardiac reserve, reaction time, muscle strength, recent memory, cognition and social skills. It therefore helps to treat depression in the elderly.