Creating the public space for and by the senior citizens

The article was based on the findings and experiences that emerged throughout the project “Seniors decide – public dialogue of the senior citizens in Krakow”. It focuses on the subject of public space in relation to the life conditions and civic participation of senior citizens in the city. Desk research and focus group research enabled the analysis of the programs addressed to the senior citizens in the Krakow Commune. The workshops with senior citizens and the usage of the “walking diagnosis” method served to reveal the potential of the elder to analyze and infl uence the city spaces. The article quotes the results of the research, describes the participatory techniques used during the project and employed by the other groups of senior citizens involved locally in Poland, and finally mentions the examples of the bottom-up initiatives held by the elders related to the physical space of the cities.

Active ageing in Krakow – postulate or reality? Older citizens as beneficiaries of actions in the city of Krakow

Presented article addresses the issue of adequacy of actions taken in the urban space of Krakow in relation to the specific needs of elderly citizens. Krakow is considered as heterogeneous space in terms of perceiving and responding to the needs of this group of inhabitants. The analysis is organized by the spheres of cultural, educational, sports, and recreational activities that are offered by commercial and non-profit institutions. The point of reference is the theory of productive ageing (Bass, Caro 2001) and age friendly city (World Health Organization, 2007).

Policy for better old age. Education in late adulthood as a method to counteract marginalisation of the elderly on the example of Jagiellonian University of the Third Age

Life experience of elderly generations seems to be insuffi cient to live in the contemporary world. In order not to be marginalised, elderly people must gain new skills. Reality cannot be changed. Progress cannot be stopped. It is the elderly generation that must keep pace. In this pursuit education can help. The University of the Third Age is a natural and obvious place to get education in late adulthood.

Seniors on the border of social exclusion – methods of digital exclusion prevention

The ongoing demographic change in the near future will determine the shape of social policy not only Polish but also the Member States of the European Union, whose greatest asset is the knowledge, skills, entrepreneurship, creativity and talents of the residents. Cultural institutions, mainly the library trying to keep up with these changes, they must extend their statutory activities and expand the educational offer directed to the local community, especially senior citizens by offering them customized access to knowledge and information. The article presents a general analysis of the situation and describes innovative integrated activities realized by the Regional Public Library in Krakow in cooperation with the Polish-German Association in Krakow since 2007 as part of the programme “School of the @ctive Senior – S@S”.

Help, care and stimulation: Caritas of the Archdiocese of Krakow for the elderly and sick

The article presents the work of the Caritas of the Archdiocese of Krakow, a catholic charity as well as non-profit organization, for the elderly, chronically ill and disabled. Wide range of these people needs has made help for them the most developed area of activity of Caritas in Krakow which is still seeking new solutions to acknowledged problems. The article describes centers of permanent, temporary and daily care as well as institutions for chronically ill patients, such as care centers and rehabilitation equipment rentals run by Caritas. It also outlines preventive programmes aimed at improving health condition in the elderly. Another issue is voluntary work in parishes for elderly and sick citizens, worth mentioning because of its profile and the fact that for majority of volunteers, who are in advanced age, such activity helps to find their place and function well in society.

The holistic impact on seniors – the experience of the Centre for Ageing Support Caritas Archdiocese of Krakow

Older people are beginning to constitute the largest social group in the overall structure of the Polish population. Today’s seniors are significantly different from their peers before 10–20 years. Currently, a large group of older generation wants to continue to be active, full members of society. In order to decrease the negative attitudes towards old age and valorization of this period of life arise various kinds of institutions that focus on the constructive use of the potential of seniors while creating the conditions for self-realization. In this paper are shown different forms of impacts on seniors who join in the life of the local community by participating in the Centre for Ageing Support Caritas Archidiocese of Krakow. Thanks to the commitment of the oldest generation in this type of activity it becomes possible overall impact on an elderly man who despite the loss of biological may experience a high quality of life.

The specific character of the Family -Type Assisted Living

The aim of the article is to present a Family-Type Assisted Living – a relatively new and little known form of 24-hour care. Designed for elderly and disabled people, they constitute an offer, considerably different from conventional Nursing Homes. Firstly, the article presents legal foundations which regulate the functioning of such facilities. Subsequently, a package of services for customers is presented. The next part contains a set of ideas related to Family -Type Assisted Living which are decisive in the specific character of such institutions. After theoretical deliberations, the article shows practical aspects of functioning of one such facilities and deals with future prospects for Family-Type Assisted Living.

Animal assisted therapy in social work with the elderly as a key to improve the quality of their life

Social work is a profession still searching for more eff ective methods of work that lead to improve the quality of people’s lives. In the area of professional activity nowadays is an animal assisted therapy considered to be the most natural, as based on the direct contact with animals, method used in the process of treatment and rehabilitation of people with disabilities. Many research and inter Katarzyna vention programs incorporated in the United States shown the positive results of the method on people’s well being. The effects are noticeable independently of age, gender and race, sexual  orientation, socio-economic status or living conditions. Th e answer to the question whether it is possible to introduce this innovative method of work with the elderly in social work in Poland will be presented in our article. In this text a reference is made to our qualitative research we carried out among animal-assisted therapy experts.

Old age in the Websites of Regional Centers of Social Policy. Population problems and social policy

The number of old people in Poland has significantly increased for last decade. Among others, the causes of this growth are: lengthening of human life and emigration of young people abroad. Population changes has been becoming a problem, which meet reaction from side of state social policy institutions, such as government, ministries and local authorities. In this paper, we present scope of usage of information and communication technologies by old people (aft er their sixty year of age). We show also offers of Regional Centers of Social Policy addressed to elderly people. In the last years, a few regional centers off ered information and some assistance programs targeted to seniors. In addition, the off ers were usually formulated in bureaucratic language, very unfriendly to potential customers.