scholarly journals Volunteer activity among the elderly: features and participation motives

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 220-230
Author(s):  
Zinaida A. Butueva

The year 2018, which was declared the year of the volunteer in Russia, aided in the emergence of such a phenomenon as “silver” volunteerism. This article presents an analysis of the volunteer activity of elderly folk, its features and their participation motives. Volunteerism is conditioned by the potential of an increasingly socially active lifestyle among the elderly, who are prepared to partake in social practices for the benefit of society. Russia’s recently accepted legal documents which regulate volunteerism are aimed at active longevity. Literature and mass-media are mentioning the term “silver” volunteerism more frequently. The author of this article has undertaken the task of defining its meaning. “Silver” volunteerism is considered to be a type of active and ethical life activity for the elderly, which is performed at no cost and for the good of other people, aids in the elderly feeling a connection to community life, as well as sharing their life and professional experience, and which has become one of the conditions for enhancing their sense of dignity, for improving their social well-being, health and independence. The conducted sociological study of volunteer practices among the elderly states that the degree to which they participate in the activities of volunteer organizations varies depending on gender, age, health condition, income, education level and social-professional status. Their primary motives for participating in volunteer activity are as follows: the desire to feel competent, regardless of age; staying in touch with other people; putting their free time to use and escaping a sense of loneliness. For most elderly people, participating in volunteer practices is conditioned by a person’s need to satisfy their personal, individual need to be useful to someone else, as well as their intention to solve their own problems of material and psychological nature. The social portrait of a “silver” volunteer was compiled based on the results of this study. These are mostly women ages 60 to 69, who have a college education, children, and who live by themselves. Most of the respondents are of average material status. A conclusion is drawn that developing volunteer activity among the elderly creates new opportunity for expressing one’s creative potential and social activeness in later stages of life.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-94
Author(s):  
Natalia Sperli Geraldes Marin dos Santos Sasaki ◽  
Marília Louvison ◽  
Camila Garcel Pancote ◽  
Maria de Lourdes Sperli Geraldes Santos ◽  
Amena Alcântara Ferraz Cury ◽  
...  

Objective: This paper is an examination of the experiences of a selected group of older Brazilians people which aims to analyse how they have been impacted by COVID-19 and, particularly, how they have been affected by protective social isolation measures. Methodology: 42 older residents of Sao Jose do Rio Preto were interviewed by phone. The applied script question was developed by International Longevity Centre the Netherlands, based at the Leyden Academy on Vitality and Aging. The data collection instrument consisted of five categories of analysis: social activities, social contacts and connectivity, well-being, vitality and health, and COVID-19 news and reports. Results: All in-person social activity ceased with the implementation of the isolation measures. Most of the interviewees pointed out to be suffering do to absence of their children, grand-children, other relatives and close friends from whom they have being apart since the beginning of the Corona virus pandemic. A large number of the interviewees recognized a worsening of their health condition and attributed it to the suspension of the physical activities and the social life that they had before isolation. Conclusion: The interviewed showed some insight about the experiences of older Brazilian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. They all revealed a strong awareness of their physical vulnerability regarding corona virus. Most accepted the need to protect themselves through isolation or any other measures. However, there are barriers that difficulty the elderly people isolation as they live with of member of the family with different ages and in poor financial situations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Gemeli ◽  
H Silva ◽  
M Kato

Abstract This work arose from the need to broaden the therapeutic approach and offer a differentiated health intervention proposal based on the understanding that the illness process has repercussions on all integrated systems of Being. Since 2019, the Health Center for the Elderly in Blumenau (SC-Brasil), specialized multi-professional service, offering support for biopsychoenergetic transformation with the practice of Yoga and Meditation, through a holistic and comprehensive view of health. It begins with the Multidimensional Assessment of the Elderly, with a guideline in welcoming and qualified listening, which considers the subject and all subjectivity. From there, the expanded diagnosis and the Singular Therapeutic Project are built and the consultations with the team and the 'Re-Conhecer group' begin. The activity is weekly, aimed at the elderly and their family, takes place in an appropriate place and lasts two hours. Welcoming, pranayama, mantras, kriyas and meditation are made, as well as reflections on free themes. The professionals who conduct the practice are the dentist, trained in yoga, and the social worker, the welcoming process continues individually after the activity. Due to subjectivity, results are routinely collected in a qualitative way from the participants' report. There is a perception on the part of the participants, therapists and members of the multidisciplinary team that this work provides improvement in cognitive abilities, self-care, well-being, self-confidence, creativity, improved sleep, autonomy, balance, strengthening bonds, joy, vitality. Key messages This initiative builds new models of health care, transcending the traditional biomedical model, according to the operational guideline for comprehensiveness, universal access and equity. Provokes reflections and builds a new perspective of life with quality and participation of the elderly as subjects of their health.


Author(s):  
Svetlana Nikolaevna Ispulova

The article presents the experience of socio-cultural work with elderly citizens in the conditions of a complex social service center, as well as the results of an empirical study conducted by the author, aimed at identifying the satisfaction rate of elderly citizens with leisure activities in the day care department. As a result, it was determined that the quality of services provided during the stay in the day care department is rated as high by the clients, which allows asserting the professionalism of the staff working with them; the clients tend to prefer those types of services that are aimed at maintaining health and well-being; the clients are satisfied with the material and technical equipment of the day care department; the clients want to see new types of services in the day care department and are ready to pay for them additionally. These services include going on excursions outside the city, lectures by specialists from medical institutions on various topics related to the health of the elderly and disabled, visiting the cinema, visiting the theater.


2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (suppl 2) ◽  
pp. 763-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Remião Luzardo ◽  
Newton Ferreira de Paula Júnior ◽  
Marcelo Medeiros ◽  
Paula Carolina Bejo Wolkers ◽  
Silvia Maria Azevedo dos Santos

ABSTRACT Objective: To know the repercussions of the fall reported by the elderly and their caregiver during hospitalization in a public hospital in Florianópolis city from October to December 2014. Method: Exploratory research with a qualitative approach, conducted by depth interviews with 16 participants, the eight elderly were hospitalized for falls and eight elderly caregivers. Data analysis were performed through the Thematic Content Analysis. Results: It was evidenced the thematic axis: Faller Elderly supported by four thematic categories: Changes caused by Falls, I am a faller, I take care of me and Prevention of the Fall. The repercussions of the fall were evidenced in the impairment of the health condition, self-care and functional capacity. We observed the naturalization of the phenomenon and the passivity with the harmful consequences of the event. Final Considerations: The fall is valued the more negative its repercussion, such as the need for hospitalization and surgery. Managing the vulnerability of the elderly, especially in primary care, evaluating their comorbidities and their internal and external environment, will minimize unfavorable consequences and the social and financial cost of hospitalizations.


Author(s):  
У.А. Винокурова ◽  
О.Д. Романова ◽  
К.Д. Барашкова

В данной статье представлены результаты социологического исследования сельских якутских семей. Актуальность статьи обусловлена растущим кризисом семьи, репродуктивного поведения, трансформацией гендерных аспектов современных форм семьи и их последствиях, что свидетельствует о культурном повороте целостного жизненного мира от ценностей совместимости, взаимопомощи в сторону индивидуализма, ослабления межличностных и межпоколенных взаимодействий, влияющих на социальное благополучие всех поколений. Авторами статьи выявлены современный уклад жизни, хозяйственной деятельности, размеры семьи, проживающей в их традиционном месте поселения, межпоколенческие связи. Предпринята классификация типов современных якутских семей, проживающих в сельской местности, по критериям пространственной локализации, уклада семьи, экономического состояния, социального статуса, ведущих нравственных ценностей, состава семьи. Выявлено 85 типов семей, сгруппированных по 6 критериям, характеризующим ведущие основы якутского этнического семьеведения. Исследование актуально тем, что на основе выявленной экосистемы семьи разработан социальный проект конструирования позитивных семейных ценностей в сельском социуме. This article presents the results of a sociological study of rural Yakut families. The relevance of the article is due to the growing crisis of the family, reproductive behavior, the transformation of gender aspects of modern family forms and their consequences, which indicates a cultural turn of the integral life world from the values of compatibility, mutual assistance towards individualism, and the weakening of interpersonal and intergenerational interactions that affect the social well-being of all generations. The authors of the article revealed the modern way of life, economic activity, family size, living in their traditional place of settlement, intergenerational ties. The classification of types of modern Yakut families living in rural areas according to the criteria of spatial localization, family structure, economic status, social status, leading moral values, and family composition is undertaken. 85 types of families were identified, grouped according to 6 criteria that characterize the leading foundations of Yakut ethnic family studies. The study is relevant because on the basis of the identified family ecosystem, a social project for constructing positive family values in rural society has been developed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
D.A. Bistiakina ◽  
◽  
T.V. Soloveva ◽  
E.G. Pankova ◽  
◽  
...  

the article presents the results of the author’s research carried out within the framework of the scientific project “Transforming the social well-being of war veterans in the context of Russian transformations at the regional level”, analyzing the social well-being of older people during the period of the introduction of the forced self-isolation regime due to the danger of the spread of coronavirus infection. The role of state and public social organizations in mitigating the consequences of forced self-isolation of older people is revealed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenhua Zheng ◽  
Hong Chen

Abstract Background Although social network is a known determinant of the elderly’s well-being, it is not clear, in urban-rural and age-comparison, what its structural characteristics are and how it works for well-being. The research aims to discuss the features of the elderly’s social network and the social network efficacies on the well-being of older adults in China’s urban and rural areas as well as revealing the urban-rural disparities among the elderly of different age groups. Methods In this study, descriptive statistical analysis and structural equation Modeling (SEM) were used to make a group comparison between the urban and rural elderly of different age groups. All data are quoted from 2014 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS). The survey adopted the multi-stage probability sampling method, targeting Chinese senior citizens aged 60 and above, the ultimate samples totaled 11,511. Results The social network of the elderly in China feature a “reverse structure” in age sequences: with ageing, family network of the elderly expand while their friend network shrink; also, the expansion scale of the rural elderly’s family network is significantly larger than that of the city’s while the shrinkage scale of their friend network is smaller compared with its urban counterpart. The effect of family network on the rural elderly’s well-being shows a remarkable increase with age. However, there is no noticeable change in urban elderly groups of different ages. Conclusion The social network characteristics of the Chinese elderly are different between different age stages. Namely, the family network and the friend network have the “reverse structure “ in age sequences. Meanwhile, the family network and the friend network have different efficacies on the well-being of the elderly in China, and the differences between urban and rural areas are even more obvious. For rural elderly, family network has very important effects on their well-being. Moreover, With the increase of age, family network’s efficacies increase gradually. For urban elderly, comparatively, family network is just as important as friend network.


1981 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eunice Boyer

In a sample of 414 residents of public housing for the elderly, health perception is significantly lower among Black residents than among Whites. The relationship of health perception to several measures of objective health status, to cultural background, to social participation, and to morale is analyzed separately for the two ethnic groups. The relationship of measures of health to health perception is more direct among Whites than among Blacks, except for an Index of Daily Well-Being, in which the relationship is similar for both groups. Social participation also influences health perception. With Blacks, participation in church-related activities is the most direct influence. While health perception is related to morale, life orientation (an index of morale) is higher for Blacks than for Whites. The implications for health education professionals seem to lie in the lack of direct links between objective measures of health and self-perception of health for Blacks. The need for health education, so that there may be a realistic appraisal of one's own health condition, is shown here. The relatively low educational level of many older citizens, especially elderly Blacks, suggests that newspaper releases are not an adequate tool for health education for the elderly.


2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Nakamura ◽  
◽  
Motoya Takagi ◽  
Shinnosuke Usui ◽  
◽  
...  

As we age, we change physically and mentally. As society ages, the birthrate decreases and the older worker’s social role increases in importance. The social role of the elderly is, however, threatened by the potential increase in age-related accidents. This research used 34,217 cases to explore and clarify the features of age-related accidents, classified by type, victim age –10 to 30s, 40 to 50s, and those aged 60 and over– and the number of absentee days due to accidents. Our results show that more time is needed for an older worker to return to the job after an accident than for a young worker. The importance of accident prevention for older workers is growing throughout industry. Ensuring such safety improves safety for workers of all ages. Issues involving age-related worker safety thus are related to the safety and well-being of workers of all generation.


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