Access to social services such as healthcare, transportation, and financial support can be limited, leaving many elderly individuals vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion. This paper examined the recent elderly demographics, status of social service delivery, the roles of traditional and cultural practices, and specific challenges faced by older persons in rural areas, using the case of Apo Whang-od and her community, Buscalan that is in the municipality of Tinglayan, Province of Kalinga, Philippines. Using a mixed methods approach, this paper revealed that almost 11% of Tinglayan’s population is elderly, mostly indigenous people with a relatively low literacy rate, and low-income earners who are engaged mostly in subsistence farming and small-scale traditional craft making. Also, there are substantial government programs and services offered by existing laws; however, access to these is challenged by limited access to education and healthcare services, with long travel distances and a lack of transportation being major barriers. Financial difficulties were also observed, with no or few having access to social security benefits and reasonable amounts of pensions. The challenges can also be attributed to an unfavorable geographical location, conflicts with neighboring tribes, limited local government funds, lack of knowledge, and inadequate social service centers within the locality. Tinglayan’s cultural values were also found to play a pivotal role in supplementing the scarce social services by fostering a supportive atmosphere for the elderly. Analysing Apo-Whag-od's longevity, it was revealed that she lived a longer life because she ate organic and locally sourced food, slept well, laughed a lot, engaged in regular physical activity, nurtured her spiritual well-being, built strong relationships with her family and community, and kept a positive outlook. In conclusion, social demographics shows that elderlies in rural areas are disadvantaged, which calls for more efficient and effective access, delivery, and availability of social services. Moreover, policymakers are enjoined to accelerate social infrastructures, expand social protection programs, and support intergenerational solidarity and resilience and cultural preservation. Lastly, Apo Whang-od’s legacy lives on. Her popularity not only gained revitalization of the Kalinga tattoo culture, but it also inspired people to follow her steps to longer and happier way of life.

The 2023 edition of the AGE Barometer was released by the Age Platform Europe, aimed at consolidating data from European statistics and national-level sources and enriched by feedback from 19 European countries, including Hungary. The publication aimed at empowering older people in the labour market and promoting sustainable and high-quality working lives for them. The Barometer revealed that the European Union (EU) is far from reaching its 78% employment target for adults aged 20 to 64 with its current state of just 62.3%. This could be due to various barriers to the integration of older people in the labour market, which include inadequate supportive policies, ageism, and unfavourable workplace conditions. Conversely, these are broadly stated in the context of the EU; hence, a deeper analysis of these results, with a special focus on the case of a single country, such as Hungary, is relevant to establish a clearer understanding of the national and local framework of these findings and in determining facilitating policies and programmes as well as gaps in promoting elderly inclusion in the labour sector. Using various methods such as critical analysis, desk and literature review, and thematic analysis, this article examined the Barometer report and other relevant publications. The Barometer 2023 effectively provided general issues and actionable areas in supporting older people in the labour market, combating ageism, and ensuring an age-friendly work environment in the EU landscape. Moreover, it revealed that Hungary performed better in employing older persons compared to the EU average, likely associated with a favourable environment for older workers through its legal protection systems, financial incentives, equal treatment policy, and initiatives such as pensioner cooperatives and information technology education. However, this still falls below the target, and based on the analysis and review of existing relevant publications, this could be associated with some unfavourable policies, gender disparities, a continuous rise in the ageing population, an increased number of migrant workers, technology challenges, ageism, political mayhems, cultural and traditional constraints, and other challenges that continue to threaten the marketability of older people, thereby resulting in consequences for their financial, physical, social, psychological, and environmental wellbeing. Moreover, the report also stated few good practices in promoting elderly employment in the county, contrary to numerous efforts implemented by both the Hungarian government, non-government organisations, and other institutions, which remained unrecognised, perhaps due to limited data availability and gaps in the reporting schemes. Finally, the Barometer 2023 report was realized to be included and used as a part of the technical working papers of the European Economic and Social Committee, being the EU advisory body that deals on the issues and opinions regarding this matter. The latest edition of the Barometer has the potential to spark positive changes among policymakers and decision-makers in acknowledging the economic potential of the elderly and in eliminating barriers that hinder elderly integration in the labour market. In the case of Hungary, substantial policies, programmes, and welfare services exist that facilitate elderly employment; however, challenges were also identified, hence the precise recommendations provided in the Barometer report must transform into reality, taking into consideration the unique national, local, and cultural peculiarities of Hungary and its local communities. It is also suggested that systematic data collection and good practice documentation must be facilitated in Hungary, and feedback from the other 18 countries in the Barometer report must be thoroughly reviewed or benchmarked for possible inspiration and replication. Lastly, the potentials of the Barometer 2023 to be used at all levels of decision-making must be maximized.

Introduction: Cyberspace is a platform which determines us for many decades. Socialization takes place not only in school, workplace, or family, but also in social media which means that every age group is affected.
Aim: The aim of the paper is to pop up questions in connection with growing old in cyberspace with the help of a work of art of Stromae.
Methodology: The videoclip can be considered as a short content of the critical view of Twitter. In Hungary this platform hasn’t been so popular, however, it is a symbol of social media thus it can be interpreted to the tendencies that can be seen worldwide. The materials of the analysis are the pictorial representations of the videoclip, while the analytical tool is the theory and practice of social representations.
Theoretical background: To analyze the work of art, theories in connection with socialization and social representation are used in order to have a deeper understanding of processes of consumer society while aging. Life events - birthdays, eating out and visiting cinema - are enhanced to see examples of possible individual failures and also the extension of these failures to society.
Conclusion: The visual representation of pop music plays a socially responsible role that affects all age groups. Raising awareness about responsible use of social media should not only be limited to young people in the future but also extended to the elderly as vulnerable social groups of society.

Background and aims: The aim of our research was a qualitative and quantitative examination of happiness and the meaning of life in old age.
Methods: Questionnaires measuring attitudes to ageing, happiness and the meaning of life, and semi-structured interviews were recorded. In the course of the research, aging-related attitudes, happiness and the meaning of life, as well as semi-structured interviews, were recorded. The interviews were evaluated with content analysis, while the questionnaires were evaluated with statistical analysis.
Results and discussions: The qualitative and quantitative studies complemented each other well and enriched the results of the study. In old age, the same factors that give the most meaning in life are the ones that give the most joy: the existence of family and the relationship with them, activity, leisure activities, and positive human relationships. Based on the questionnaire survey, it appears that those who are characterized by a higher level of the search for meaning prefer to experience their aging as development. Those who are characterized by a higher level of meaning experience tend to experience their aging more as a growth and, at the same time, less as a loss. In old age, activities that are full of meaning and cause a sense of flow are more pleasurable than pleasures and experiences.

In 2020, a total of 15.6 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States alone - a 43% increase from 6.7 million in 2000. This upward trend is likely to continue for decades to come. In 2020, the largest consumer group was women aged 40-55, accounting for 45% of all cosmetic procedures and they primarily chose procedures to remove visible signs of aging. This study aims to summarize the factors that generally influence the development of positive attitudes toward procedures. Additionally, the study explores the relationship between ageing and interest in cosmetic procedures. The underlying factors are explored both at the individual level, such as ageing anxiety, and at the societal level, such as age stereotypes and ageism. Finally, the article also discusses the perception of individuals who undergo these procedures and the factors that may help older individuals to have a positive attitude towards ageing.

In today’s world abuse committed against the elderly receives much less attention than against women and children. There are several aspects because it is very important for elder abuse to receive at least the same amount of publicity: respect of the elderly, teaching our children the correct standards, serving as prevention, that the phenomenon exists, and thus teaching the younger generation that one type of abuse is not accepted either. Our aim with this paper was to draw attention to the importance gerontological research on elder abuse. Therefore, after describing the types of abuse, we present international and national prevalence data. We look at how to get help in Hungary and the possible reasons why older adults do not seek help. Finally, by presenting the World Health Organization's criteria, our aim is to point the way to solving the problems raised in the study. We would like to present the topic from several aspects so it helps the people to recognize the typical signs of potential abuse. Abuses against the elderly can also happen at the institutional and family level. Nevertheless, it can also occur in public, because the elderly can be categorized as endangered as children and women, because they have similar characteristics like defencelessness, naivety and weaker physicality. Also, it should be mentioned, because as we will see later, based on the opinion of the World Health Organization (WHO), it also includes the lack of help and action and how much people act altruistic. The fact that the WHO (2022) urges the fight against abuse of the elderly in the next few years indicates the actuality of the theme. The purpose of the study is to highlight the importance of elder abuse in the professional public consciousness.

Recently, it has been a growing interest for the benefits of consuming or using commercially available medicinal mushrooms, i.e. macrofungi that have positive physiological effect in general, or particularly in relation to skin aging. The aim of our study is to summarize the results supporting that bioactive components of Ganoderma lucidum acts as anti-aging agent in the skin and contribute to keeping it young. Here we review the effects of mushroom extracts on the pigmentation of skin or skin cells, wound healing, and inflammation in in vitro cell cultures and in vivo animal experiments. We also examine case reports and clinical studies that confirm wide dermatological and cosmetic use of Ganoderma lucidum.

This article explores various aspects related to dementia care and support in Italy. It begins by discussing the National Dementia Plan of Italy, highlighting its goals and initiatives. It then focuses on the Veneto Region and their innovative approach to supporting people with dementia through the implementation of the Dementia Map, an online support system. The article also highlights the importance of dissemination publications in raising awareness and sharing knowledge about dementia care practices. Furthermore, it delves into the pilot project of Abbiategrasso, the first Dementia Friendly City in Italy, showcasing the efforts made to create a community that is inclusive and supportive of individuals with dementia. The experiences and lessons learned from this project serve as valuable insights for other communities aiming to become dementia friendly. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the significance of collaborative efforts, innovative approaches, and community engagement in improving the lives of individuals with dementia and their caregivers. It underlines the importance of continuous advancements in dementia care and the need for ongoing support systems to meet the evolving needs of those affected. The bibliography provides a list of relevant sources and references that further explore the topics covered in the article.

HOMeAGE Doctoral Network Older Adult Reference Group Meeting
Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks
HOMeAGE (101073506)

The author summarizes his own professional experience in the field of massaging elderly patients over the past decade. In addition to a detailed description of the massage sessions, he also describes the characteristics that the practitioner should be aware of when providing massage to an elderly person. These may include communication in the face of sensory decline, difficulty in accurately recalling memories, and changes in the musculoskeletal, circulatory and metabolic systems of the body in later life.

The study examines the risks, issues and possible processes of pensioner impoverishment. The risk of poverty among pensioners is influenced by a number of factors. Examining the insurance-based sustainability of the pension system, the possibilities for individual self-financing or the functioning of corrective funding mechanisms, it can be concluded that the increase in the risk of poverty among pensioners calls for more intensive public interventions.