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• The phenomenon of elder abuse and ways of prevention and intervention

  87-104

  Dóra Szűcs

  Bernadett Mohácsi

  Views:

  41

  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.

• Quality of life of elderly stroke patients and their caregivers

  38-39

  Valéria Parová

  Mária Sováriová Soósová

  Renáta Suchanová

  Views:

  24

  Stroke represents a major societal representation as well as economic problem in an individual's life. The question arises in connection with the life of the patient oneself as well as in one’s whole family. Stroke is one of the most common diseases affecting people at an old age.

• Activity in old age, active and successfull aging

  38-61

  Anna Ferwagner

  Views:

  46

  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.

• Ageless quarantine yoga - Escape to Yogaland in the time of pandemic

  12-14

  Views:

  93

  Nowadays it is expansively recognised that practicing yoga can improve the quality of life by providing appropriate physical training exercises which can be performed by every age group. Yoga practitioners of the older generations beside maintaining their physical activity can heal  their sense of balance which decreases the hazard of off-balance and fall.

  During the years of my yoga teaching I met the representatives of every age group at my classes. I led kids yoga courses for preschool children, dynamic flow sequences for trained yoga practitioners, but I did have students over 70 years old who insisted to join an intermediate level hatha yoga class even if they had gone through serious illnesses and operations in the past and they were not able to hold each postures.

  I have experienced that the elderly people are very grateful for the healing that yoga gives them and for the careful attention whereby the yoga instructor tailors the yoga asanas and sequences according to the physical condtitions, state of health and capabilities of each individual.

  At the yoga instructor courses the contraindications of asanas and defining the anatomic and physiological backround of injuries and the physical limitations of each practitioner are emphasized intensively. This comprehensive teacher training and the continuous monitoring guarantee the safety. The instructor faces the mutations and the loss of physical and psychical balance in the the reality, at the yoga classes. Practice makes the master! It is more than true is yoga. Gaining practical experience the instructor can handle the special situations and needs with growing confidence applying yoga props (strap, yoga blocks, chair etc.), modifying the asanas, and using the power of words to motivate the students.

  Supported by my friends I created The Force Yoga Group Facebook site in April , where I have been leading yoga classes since then. It is a great place to meet my yoga practitioning friends, my family members, my elderly parents and in defieance of quarantine and lockdown to practice yoga together, at the same time. Our magical yoga carpet is a tranquil island to where we can escape from the raging pandemic, where we can start our inner journey in the time of the outer movelessness.

  The online practice team has already more than 100 members. It is an intercultural and intergenerational group. I knew I had no information of the health conditions, the perfection of yoga practice of each group member, and with many of them I had not practiced together in person (offline), so I had to call their attention to the rules of safe yoga practice constantly and acutely. At the beginning and at the end of the online sessions I dedicate some sentences to it, during practice I try to instruct precisely to protect them from the injuries. The verbal correction playes here a very important role.

  My online students can be informed about the topic from the scientific articles I share on our page from time to time.

  I am aware of the fact that an avarege home is not a well-equipped yoga studio, so  I show online how to use the furniture, fixtures and everyday objects as yoga props.

  A shorter, 30-45 minute Chair Yoga Class is the part of our weekly program as well, especially for those members who struggle with balance poses or get weak easily.

  In private messages the students send me their observations, remarks, questions  and requests. Some of them experience pain or tension in certain asanas, so we try to find out together the reason of it and to correct and to set the posture. A 75 year-old student of mine asked me to build a yoga sequence of simple breathing exercises and stretching asanas which can be performed by anyone.

  Many feedbacks speak about how big inspiration is to watch my everyday practice and my enthusiasm is pushing the spectators to their yoga mat. There are older practitioners who perform the breathing and warm up exercises sitting on a chair, and it means already 15-20 minutes of  physical training.

  During lockdown there are 4-5 online yoga sessions weekly, the videos are available anytime. The regular practice becomes a sure point in the life of the members, there is something to look forward to, even if there is no stimulus to receive from the outer world. In this online yoga space you can get new friends, through the comments you can share your ideas and suddenly you belong to a yoga community.

  The stress relieving classes I close with  Yoga Dream (yoga nidra) relaxation which is an at least 20 minutes of visualization, an imaginery journey interlarded by positive affirmations while body and mind are calming down.  Such a mini meditation does not require any intensive physical activity but breathing. I could mention many other positive increments that occured creating The Force Yoga Group, but quoted the great yoga master, B.K.S. Iyengar:

   “Words cannot convey the value of yoga – it has to be experienced.”

• Active Ageing Good Practices Promoting Intergenerational Communication and Understanding

  5-6

  Maria Aurora Fenech

  Edel Borg Mizzi

  Views:

  28

  Persistent negative stereotypes on the aging process and the older person are noticeable within the current youth-orientated culture. Older persons may also hold negative stereotypes about the younger generation. These undesirable typecasts co-exist because younger and older persons often have limited contact with each other. Indeed, the younger generation, only gets to engage in communication with the older person within the family unit, rarely outside their own familial structures. Similarly, older persons, residents of long-term care have limited opportunities of interacting with the younger generation.

• Carmen - How are we growing old in cyberspace?

  25-37

  Dalma Tóth

  Views:

  68

  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.

• The impact of COVID-19 on the online shopping habits of the elderly - a study in two regions

  146-158

  Views:

  149

  COVID-19 significantly affected the lives of people, including the elderly, who tried to reduce their personal relationships, especially during quarantine periods. Their daily lives have changed, including their consumer behaviour. The basis of my research was the longitudinal research of the Gerontology Department of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Debrecen. In the summer of 2021, I made an interview research covering two regions, in which I searched for answers for example the COVID-19 epidemic affected the lives of members of elderly organizations, how their habits changed, for example regarding the use of digital devices and consumption in general. Based on the results, it can be said that while in 2020 the members of the organizations kept in touch with each other mainly by telephone during the pandemic, in 2021 there were almost the same number of those who used traditional telephones and those who preferred online contact. Online communication and Internet use have probably become more widespread because older people have become more open to the online world. In the examined period, the willingness of the elderly to use digital devices increased and their opportunities broadened, for example through the (often forced) development of their competences. This is also true for online purchases. As in all age groups of domestic consumers, online consumption has also increased among the elderly. In their case, this is mainly influenced by their opportunities related to digitalization. The main advantage of digitalization for the elderly is that it is much easier for them to keep in touch with each other, including with family members who live far away, while one of the disadvantages is that not all elderly people can afford to have the appropriate competencies, technical conditions and internet access.

• Social service delivery for senior citizens in rural Philippines and secrets to longevity of Apo Whang-od

  2-14

  Climson L. Balangue

  Views:

  84

  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.

• Post-modern variants of the family and the grandparents

  66-67

  Bálint Boga

  Views:

  149

  A hagyományos kiterjedt család (traditional extended, Litwak) a 20. század elején a fejlett országokban átadta helyét a nukleáris és a módosult kiterjedt családformának. Ezt nevezte Dirk van de Kaa holland demográfus az első demográfiai átmenetnek és szerinte az 1965-75 körüli években következett be a második demográfiai átmenet, amelynek fő jellemzője a családtípusok pluralizációja volt. Ez a váltás a kelet-közép-európai országokban, így hazánkban is a rendszerváltás, 1990 után mutatkozott szélesebb körben. A következő jelenségek tanúi lehetünk:

  1. a párkapcsolatban az élettársi viszony térhódítása (2011 Népszámlálás: 30 év alatt párkapcsolatok 52%-a; 2016 Mikrocenzus: kb. félmillió pár, 21%)
  2. válások (most csökkenőben: 15.000, 2020; 2002: 25.500)
  3. egyszülős családok (kb. 500.000 család, összes család: 2,7 m, 2016)
  4. újraházasodás, mozaik-családok (149.000, gyerekek 14%-a, 2011; háztartások 23%-a, 2016)
  5. szingli életforma
  6. „meleg” párkapcsolat
  7. globalizációs generációk: a. különböző nemzetiségűek házassága
  8. külföldön élő család.

  A családban az idős, nagyszülői korosztály és felnőtt gyermekeik kapcsolatát az ún. intergenerációs transzfer jellemzi, amelyben a segítségnyújtás különböző formái és az érzelmi megnyilvánulások (closeness) egyaránt benne foglaltatnak. Bizonyos fokú hanyatlás után pedig már szorosabb gondoskodás válik szükségessé (magyar felmérés: 65 év felett súlyos korlátozottság a mindennapi életben: 25%, további enyhe korlátozottság: 40%, 2017, KSH; fejlett országokban is a gondozás 80-90%-át a család látja el).
  A fenti családtípusokban élő fiatal vagy középkorú ember összetettebb feladatai, elfoglaltsága, másrészt pszichológiai terhelése, megosztottsága miatt nehezebben tud megfelelni idős szülei részéről felmerülő igényeknek. A nagyszülők pszichés gondjai között kiemelkednek a mozaik családdal, azon belül az unokákkal fenntartható kapcsolat problémái, optimális esetben viszont ők képviselhetik a családi folyamatosságot, biztonságot.
  A szociológiai és gerontológiai szakirodalom alig foglalkozik a nagyszülői korosztályt érintő következményekkel, de ahol megjelenik, a negatív irányú eltérést fogalmazzák meg.
  Célom ennek a témának a felvázolásával az, hogy felhívjam a szakemberek figyelmét erre a kutatásban elhanyagolt területre.