Page 95 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2021. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 95
ing for the elderly and work with this part of the population psihologija / sociala in zdravje starejših odraslih | psychology / social and health of the elderly
Andrej Berdajs
University of Primorska, Faculty of Education, Koper, Slovenia
Introduction. The increase in the share of the elderly poses a number of new
problems for society. In the first two chronological periods of age, a large pro-
portion of people are vital, active despite retirement, and can make a signifi-
cant contribution to society based on their experience. For this younger part
of the elderly population, it is necessary to find organized and formal opportu-
nities to use their capacities on the labor market and in volunteering, thus in-
creasing their chances for quality aging.
Methods. Our goal is to review the field of care for the elderly in Slovenian soci-
ety to determine what we can do as a society, as a policy makers, as profession-
al institutions and as individuals to make the life of the older generation safe at
all ages, as active and quality as possible. This can be clarified by answering two
questions: How are the problems of the elderly part of the population formal-
ly and informally solved in our country? Where do the elderly residents of our
society have the most problems in their stay?
Results. We improve problem solving of the elderly with the following formal
and informal forms of activity: - first social assistance provided by social work
centers and homes for the elderly, - personal assistance to individuals, - help
for families with elderly members at home, - home help and social service, -
serviced housing, - homes for the elderly. Older people have the most prob-
lems in the following areas: - insufficient capacity in homes for elderly, - Insuffi-
cient financial and professional assistance to informal carers, - the reduction of
social networks of the elderly and the lack of a social component of care, - an
increase in negative attitudes towards the elderly, discrimination and abuse, -
inadequate pension system.
Discussion and conclusions. Due to the increasing needs, it will be necessary to
open new homes for the elderly, arrange financial and professional assistance
to informal caregivers and direct the care of the elderly not only to the medi-
cal but also to the social component, if possible intergenerationally. Above all,
we can highlight here the importance of family care for its elderly members. As
individuals and also systemically, we must strive to enable the elderly to spend
their old age as well as possible. We need to provide legal frameworks that will
enable vital elderly people to actively participate in society, both in the labor
market and in the context of volunteering. The social component of care for
the elderly is important and helps more vulnerable older people to overcome
the crisis by being excluded from their environment and reducing their social
network and family contacts. Here is a place for social pedagogical work with
the elderly, both in institutions and in informal forms of care to maintain their
cognitive abilities and prevent loneliness.
Keywords: the increase of the elderly, formal and informal care, social and
pedagogical work with the elderly
93
Andrej Berdajs
University of Primorska, Faculty of Education, Koper, Slovenia
Introduction. The increase in the share of the elderly poses a number of new
problems for society. In the first two chronological periods of age, a large pro-
portion of people are vital, active despite retirement, and can make a signifi-
cant contribution to society based on their experience. For this younger part
of the elderly population, it is necessary to find organized and formal opportu-
nities to use their capacities on the labor market and in volunteering, thus in-
creasing their chances for quality aging.
Methods. Our goal is to review the field of care for the elderly in Slovenian soci-
ety to determine what we can do as a society, as a policy makers, as profession-
al institutions and as individuals to make the life of the older generation safe at
all ages, as active and quality as possible. This can be clarified by answering two
questions: How are the problems of the elderly part of the population formal-
ly and informally solved in our country? Where do the elderly residents of our
society have the most problems in their stay?
Results. We improve problem solving of the elderly with the following formal
and informal forms of activity: - first social assistance provided by social work
centers and homes for the elderly, - personal assistance to individuals, - help
for families with elderly members at home, - home help and social service, -
serviced housing, - homes for the elderly. Older people have the most prob-
lems in the following areas: - insufficient capacity in homes for elderly, - Insuffi-
cient financial and professional assistance to informal carers, - the reduction of
social networks of the elderly and the lack of a social component of care, - an
increase in negative attitudes towards the elderly, discrimination and abuse, -
inadequate pension system.
Discussion and conclusions. Due to the increasing needs, it will be necessary to
open new homes for the elderly, arrange financial and professional assistance
to informal caregivers and direct the care of the elderly not only to the medi-
cal but also to the social component, if possible intergenerationally. Above all,
we can highlight here the importance of family care for its elderly members. As
individuals and also systemically, we must strive to enable the elderly to spend
their old age as well as possible. We need to provide legal frameworks that will
enable vital elderly people to actively participate in society, both in the labor
market and in the context of volunteering. The social component of care for
the elderly is important and helps more vulnerable older people to overcome
the crisis by being excluded from their environment and reducing their social
network and family contacts. Here is a place for social pedagogical work with
the elderly, both in institutions and in informal forms of care to maintain their
cognitive abilities and prevent loneliness.
Keywords: the increase of the elderly, formal and informal care, social and
pedagogical work with the elderly
93
