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VOLUME 6,
NUMBER 4, 2003
Social status of the elderly
Ana Krajnc
Following the retirement, one's social status weakens considerably.
In fact, it becomes weaker already a couple of years before
this event. A retired person simply counts less. Since being
socially mobile is everybodys natural tendency, weakening
of the social status hurts. How to prevent the social status
of the elderly from weakening? Social and economic developmental
tendencies suggest that each society, each state should use
and develop the abilities, knowledge and skills of all the
inhabitants. Slovenia is by no means an exception and is
not in a position to overtly declare that half a million
of its inhabitants are already finished. At least not without
a great damage to its stability! A social rapport is one
of giving and receiving Therefore a retired person should
contribute to the society, if he or she wants his or her
social status to be equal to the status of the others. Action,
activities, preservation of self-confidence and self-esteem
are necessary for a retired person to retain his or her social
status. Not only is this important for the retired person
himself or herself, but it is also important for all other
generations who may thus acquire the feeling of continuity
and safety.
Key words: social status, retired
person, elderly, social mobility, developmental tendencies
Does Lifelong Education Really Goes On From Cradle to grave?
Dušana Findeisen
Policy of ageing and old age in Slovenia prevents retired
people from continuing their life, being useful to their
environment, being involved with it in relations of giving
and receiving. It prevents retired people from developing.
Elderly people are not a monolithical group and old age cannot
be viewed only as advanced age and state of dependence. Consequently,
employment opportunities for the elderly in the third age,
work exchange links for the elderly and various educational
and, moreover, learning opportunities for the elderly are
needed. Lifelong education can not be stopped when one reaches
40 years of age and when turns into an elderly worker. Elderly
people learn for a variety of reasons and not only for personal
growth. The author describes the changing concept of retirement
underlining the importance of pre-retirement education as
a way to prepare for "the professionally inactive period
of life".
Key words: old age, ageing, elderly, elderly workers, policy
of old age and ageing, personal growth, pre-retirement education,
lifelong education and learning.
Slovenian
Third Age University in the past 20 years
Alijana Šantej
The article opposes the social status of the elderly and
the individual psychological experience of ageing and old
age. Whereas the first has been changing throughout history
the latter has been closely related to the way in which an
old man or an old woman has been looked upon by the society.
Individual, psychological experience of aging and old age
has been dependent on the kind of old age the society permits
or enables and an old man or an old woman to live, or the
kind of old age it imposes on him or her. The author describes
the Slovenian Third Age University, which is a result of
the continuous voluntary endeavours of the professionals
specialised in adult education sciences, mentors and numerous
elderly students. The basic vocation of this organisation
being the education of the elderly for living, self-organisation
and work it has been also involved in public campaigning
for a different consideration of the elderly and old age.
Key words: education of the elderly, the third age university,
development of the elderly, study circle, lifelong learning,
lifelong education, integration in the society
The elderly in the Russian transitional society: social safety
and coping responses
Natalia V. Tchernina in Efim A. Tchernin
The Russian elderly
worked out a lot of coping responses, including active coping
responses, based mainly on possibilities offered
by the home economy, and by grey and black economies. The
home economy of pensioners is mainly based on extensive and
intensive
use of their labour. After retirement the time devoted to
the home economy is increasing drastically. Different types
of
services by the elderly to their own families and to the
children's families are distinguished by men and women. The
continuation
of labour activities after retirement is taking place under
circumstances when a considerable number of the elderly cannot
afford adequate medical services and medicaments. The elderly
are owning considerable (to Russian norms) property: privatised
apartments, garages, subsidiary plots et cetera. The possession
of diversified family property is conductive to self-employment.
Personal assets and savings of the elderly are not sufficient
enough to secure a decent life. Social institutions for the
integration of the elderly into social life, for overcoming
isolation and loneliness are almost non-existent. The most
common sphere of the elderly activities is their family,
often consisting of two or three generations. The goal of
their activities
is the preservation of the family and averting poverty and
degradation.
Key words: coping responses, personal safety-net,
income life-cycles, home economy, health and leisure deprivation,
social isolation.
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