Demographic signposts for gerontological social work
A striking aspect of the process of population aging, which is so typical of modern times, is an increase in the proportion of old people. The elderly are a heterogeneous subpopulation, differing in many characteristics, including demographic ones. The article presents the structure of the Polish senior population, i.e. the population of people over 65 years of age, in terms of their age, sex, marital status, and degree of functional disability. The senior population is marked by a numerical predominance of women, a high proportion of widows, and a growing proportion of the very old with a reduced ability to perform the basic activities of daily living. Attention is drawn to the need to take into account the demographic diversity of the population of seniors in the planning and implementation of direct and indirect practice in gerontological social work.
