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Ageless quarantine yoga - Escape to Yogaland in the time of pandemic
12-14Views:89Nowadays 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.”
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The role of urban green spaces in the well-being of people with dementia and their carers
50-77Views:182The aim of our empirical research was to explore how walking in green spaces in urban neighbourhoods contributes to the well-being of people with dementia and their informal carers. The study involved 3 caregiver – care recipient dyads, with carers keeping diary entries of regular walks together for a month (April-May 2021). In addition to the diary writing, carers completed a quantitative questionnaire as part of their research, in which they assessed their own and their relative's mental and mood state and their interaction before, during and after the walk. Based on the assessments of the questionnaires received from the 39 walks, results showed significant improvements in mental state and mood for both carers and cared-for persons, as well as in the way their dyads interacted with each other as a result of the walk. This trend was also supported and explained by the textual content of the diary entries. Thus, our small sample study was able to demonstrate that in the case of the caregiver – care recipient dyads we studied, a walk in an urban green environment had a positive effect on the mood and mental state of both partners, as well as on their cooperation. The significance of our results is that they support the role of urban green spaces in health promotion among chronic patients and their informal caregivers in a national sample: walking in nature can thus be considered a low-cost, generally positive and relatively easy and accessible intervention with a high impact.
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Meaning for the years – thoughts about the social and human science gerontology
13-25.Views:156The study consists of a theoretical and a practical part. Relying on the relevant literature and
the practice of the world’s developed countries, the theoretical part outlines the social
problems arising as a result of the increasing life expectancy. At the same time it seeks to find
possibilities of solutions to these problems. It clarifies the notions of ageing and retirement
age, Life Long Learning, and within this, the beneficial health effects of language learning. In
addition, this part of the study introduces useful forms of activities that make sense and have
meaning late in life. The empirical part describes the results of a survey made in Miskolc
before the conference of gerontology in November 2017. -
Bölcs öregedés az életút alkonyán
180-199Views:181The study highlights what impression the quality of our life history has on our elderly ourselves. With this complex presentation of the aging process, a more nuanced diagnosis could be made about the versatility of ageing, thus more effective prevention and care programs could be carried out. The recognition and application of the positive philosophy of life outlined in the study contribute to maintaining good mental health of the elderly.
Practical relevance. The results of the research can be primarily utilzed in care institutions, nursing homes and retirement clubs. It can effectively help the physical, spiritual and mental care of elderly people and help them accept their problematic life situation. The study might be utilized in practice on elementary and intermediate andragogy trainings and on vocational courses (social worker, specialist nurse, therapist).
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Ensuring people's welfare in later life: lessons from Italy in pandemic times
8Views:70INRCA IRCCS (National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing), Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, Italy
Key words: residential care, home-based care, migrant carers, COVID-19
In this presentation, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Italian long-term care system will be illustrated, taking specifically into consideration two of its main pillars: residential care and home-based care.
To this purpose, in the introduction the main features of the Italian system will be presented in detail. They include the overwhelming role of cash benefits over the rather marginal presence of in-kind services, and the use of such cash benefits by households to employ, on a private – and often undeclared – basis, care workers, who very often have a migrant background.
Following the introductory section, the impact of the pandemic on the Italian system will be analysed, in terms of hospitalisations, casualties and other effects on both residential and home-based care sectors. This will include an overview of the main challenges experienced by both care recipients and providers, as well as of the main measures adopted by public authorities to address them.
Finally, the contribution will conclude by highlighting the main lessons emerging from the Italian experience, and identifying the main recommendations for the future.
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Alzheimer's disease in the context of social work from the perspective of family caregivers
29-30Views:13In the context of rising quality of life and improving living conditions, as well as improving health care, people are now living to a higher age than in the past. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in European countries. As a result of the development of the disease, individuals are often dependent on the help and care of other people, in most cases family members. This care interferes with the functioning of the family, so monitoring the needs and assistance for family members is essential.
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Activity in old age, active and successfull aging
73-96Views:492Background and aims: The aim of our research was to qualitatively examine the attitudes of older people towards aging, the activity available and implemented from it, their community involvement, and their lay perceptions and opinions of successful aging.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted during the research, and the interviews were evaluated by content analysis.
Results an discussion: According to the elderly, successful aging mainly requires physical or mental health, maintaining activity, an active lifestyle, a positive outlook on life, a good family environment, social relationships, financial security, goals, motivation, successful life, advance planning, and social support. -
Emphasizing the role of AI and telehealth in improving treatment outcomes among elderly patients
82-83Views:18To establish the right diagnosis and treatment plan for a patient is at the core of any medical procedure but this is not without the need for utmost compliance of the patient. This is the case with the elderly when they do not understand their diagnosis, nor do they fully recognize the importance of adhering to the prescribed treatment plan. This study emphasizes the role of artificial intelligence and telehealth in achieving significant treatment compliance among elderly patients.
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Advancing Research and Training on Ageing, Place and Home
143-148Views:7HOMeAGE Doctoral Network Older Adult Reference Group Meeting
Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks
HOMeAGE (101073506) -
Introduction
Views:49Dear Reader,
The Gerontology Days 2021 is the 14th annual scientific conference at the Faculty of Health of the University of Debrecen, which is unique not only because it is the only conference with a long history in this field organised by a Hungarian university, but also it is characterized by the diversity of the disciplines involved and by the diversity of the participants as well.
In addition to academic researchers, lecturers and PhD students, professionals working in the field of elderly care and supporting for the elderly and other interested people listen to the lectures, participate in discussions, symposia and round tables.
Thank you very much for the feedback (praise, criticism, suggestion, request) which are sent to us during and after the Conference!
In this Special Issue of the scientific journal, you can read the abstracts of the lectures given at the Conference.
First, a short summary of the plenary lecture of Prof. Dr. Miklós Tóth, followed by the extracts of English lectures and abstracts in Hungarian are available on this platform.
We are also looking forward to meeting you at the conference of Gerontological Days 2022!
Ágnes Bene
Editor of the Special Issue -
Elderly care out from the care system: the challenges of family carers
2-24.Views:344The overburdened long term care system increases the role of family carers in taking care of older adults. Undertaking the role of care put a great burden to family carers and cause many negative effects to the family roles, the field of employment and to the carers’ personal physical and mental health too. The formal care system solely focuses for the need of care receivers and hardly find services targeted to family carers. This study, using the analisis of ten family caregiver interviews, overlaps the main difficulties they are facing.
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Seventies - A dystropia about the Hungarian society
46-65Views:67Introduction: Ageing society is an ever-raising issue, however, not so many movies use critics towards it. The movie Seventies had its debut in Hungary 2014. Its specificity is the lens that were used to show the deficits of the attitudes towards the elderly in Hungary.
Aim: The aim of the paper is to explore the dystopian nature of the pseudo-documentary in order to show a picture of the possible deficits in Hungarian society with the help of the narratives of the artwork.
Methodology: In this paper a social psychological approach is considered as the process of affective characterization of movie scenes which are analysed with content analysis.
Theoretical background: There are two main aspects that are held in the analysis, the cognitive schema theory and the nature of dystopian content as a filter for the interpretative framework. Cognitive schema theory is used for perception and cognition of scenes, canonical set-ups, and interpretation-processes. In the analysis, the focus is on the memory objects, the mental models and the cognitive fields.
Conclusion: The film experience includes a sort of awareness of the perceived scenes, thus the real world can be divided from imagination. Indeed, subjectivity and the shaping process of our reality are serving the demands of one’s aspects. Therefore, the film can be considered as a valuable starting point of a debate of the future of Hungarian society, highlighting the situation of elderly. -
Barriers of Accessing Elderly Care Services in Bangladesh
81Views:3Approximately one in ten persons in Bangladesh is over 60 years old and it is estimated that this figure will increase to 21.5% in 2050. This huge proportion of the population often faces barriers in terms of accessing elderly care services.
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Physical Restraint Use within Maltese Long-Term Care Settings
9-10Views:22The holistic study looked at the locally unexplored environment, providing a platform of knowledge base and information on physical restraint use. The project secured relevant information focal to the older person residents, health care providers and policy makers within long-term care settings.
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Supporting ageing with a positive psychological framework and tools
32Views:16In the classical literature, but also in the everyday approach, ageing is mostly associated with decline, deterioration of various skills, abilities, capacities, mental dysfunction, increasing inactivity, shrinking relationships and similar, more negative characteristics. We think of ageing as if it were a necessarily negative, unavoidable and unavoidable deterioration - but one that we must accept passively, at the same time - at the physical, mental and psychological levels. The presentation will focus on the reinterpretation offered by a positive psychology approach, pointing out that the second half of life is not necessarily about decline, mental problems, dissatisfaction or bitterness, but can also be about fulfilment, happiness, discovering and exploiting new potentials and strengths, new goals and living a truly fulfilling life. What is at stake to make this happen? How can we support this with the tools of positive psychology? The presentation will not be about anti-ageing tips, but about how to promote mental health in later life so that we can live ourselves and our lives to the full in this period of life with a positive outlook. The focus will be on the how, so the knowledge and a possible toolkit of interventions will be presented.
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The impact of some elements of digitisation and education for the elderly - before the quarantine situation
29-51Views:509Digitalisation is one of the most important elements of the changes of the 21st century. The study describes the social impact of some areas of digitalisation, especially for the older generations. Beyond the health aspects there are two areas - the supporting power of the community and the fight against loneliness - which give the core of the social importance of the innovative solutions in Hungary.
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The role of active ageing in the consumer protection
65-77.Views:203Worldwide recognized the high prevalence of deceit aimed at elderly individuals (Boush,
Friestad és Wright, 2009; Valant, 2015). Following the active middle-age, aging individuals
perceive several physiological and psychological changes. Naturally, these changes do show
individual differences. The aging generation members’ typical communication related and
social features are to blame for these deceptions, unethical abuse of the vulnerability. Elderly
individuals are more susceptible to persuasion than younger adults (Visser és Krosnick,
1998).
In the present study, we summarize features appeared in the literature which can establish
older people’s vulnerability. Furthermore, we report an interview-based-study, in which the
examinees shared their experiences on suspicious offers. -
Beyond the limelight of Apo Whang-od: Exposing the face of social service delivery and access of older persons in the Philippines
79-80Views:19This study examined the access to social services for the elderly population in Tinglayan, Kalinga, Philippines, which is the home of Apo Whang-od, a globally renowned traditional tattoo artist. The case study explored the challenges and opportunities that elderly individuals encounter in accessing social services within geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) and how these dynamics have been influenced by the artist's popularity.
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Családi (informális) gondozást segítő rendszerek Magyarországon
34-48Views:220The member states of the European Union have to face the challenge of demographic aging. Taking the demographic characteristics of the member states, there are no essential differences in either the current or in the expected future development of the proportion of elderly people. Ageing affects several areas of the welfare regimes, but it is usually the health and pension systems and personal services that are highlighted. This paper deals with a special area of personal services, the family (informal) care and the support of carers in Hungary. The study introduces definitions of the informal care, welfare policies on family caregivers, the systematization attempts of the care policy in the member states, it analyzes the recent past and currently perceived care policy processes and ideologies, and finally describes the specific situation in the former Communist countries through an example of a Hungarian care policy. The basic idea of the article is that although the demographic challenges are similar, but the service policy and the development of the institutional systems show significant differences in each country. In addition to the underdeveloped institutional service system in the different countries, the post-Communist countries lack the supporting tools of the caring family members.
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The Fourth Industrial Revolution – challenges of the future
167-169Views:34Klaus Schwab (2016): The Fourth Industrial Revolution. Portfolio Pinguin.
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For visitors
1Views:108Dear Reader!
Part of the renewal of Hungarian Gerontology scientific journal is the effort to publish short summaries of the lectures at the International Gerontology Conference organized by the Research Workshop (University of Debrecen, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Gerontology.
In this way, we would like to contribute to the continuity of discussions between researchers and experts, by making abstracts available to readers in an easily accessible form, and perhaps here on the website of the magazine they will be interested to study publications in the regular issues of the journal and to be informed about the results of domestic and foreign research on the topic of gerontology.
Ágnes Bene
Secretary of the Conference
Editor
The journal issue is supported by the EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00022 “Debrecen Venture Catapult Programme”.
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Explore the Motivational Factors Driving Economic Engagement among the Elderly in Rural Area in Lao People's Democratic Republic
76-78Views:5This exploratory study delves into the motivational factors driving economic engagement among the elderly in rural areas of Laos, a nation in Southeast Asia experiencing demographic shifts towards an aging population. With limited research on this topic in the context of rural Laos, this study aims to uncover the underlying motivations that influence elderly individuals to participate in economic activities. By understanding these factors, policymakers can design targeted interventions to promote economic inclusion and improve the well-being of the elderly population. However, the study also uncovers barriers and challenges faced by elderly individuals, such as limited access to resources, skills, and infrastructure. Recommendations are provided to address these challenges and enhance support systems.
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The impact of COVID-19 on the online shopping habits of the elderly - a study in two regions
146-158Views:134COVID-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.
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Social service delivery for senior citizens in rural Philippines and secrets to longevity of Apo Whang-od
2-14Views:31Access 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.
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Early recognition of dementia within the family
17-18Views:82The awareness of communities with dementia in Western Europe has moved closer to recognizing priority issues such as the environment or climate change. Dementia-friendly communities how have a history of 30 years and have achieved significant results through their work, both for those affected by the disease and those not directly affected. It probably affects many families, the topic is also getting into the spotlight in Hungary.
Without specific and detailed statistics and databases, dementia currently exists in the latent zone. The vast majority of the literature defines dementia as a diesease for which there is no treatment or cure. The effect of dementia is considered primarily as problems in the brain that negatively affect clear thinking, memory processes and result in additional emotional turbulence. Dementia is known as an age-related condition.
In general, dementia is identified as senility, incorrectly. Dementia can occur in different areas and at different levels in individual patients. As a result, families affected by the disease often face serious difficulties in identifying the disease. Without proper and detailed knowledge of the diagnosis, many families struggle with the situation of self care solutions at home. This personal involvement not only imposes a significant financial and emotional burden on the family but also often leads to separation and isolation, which can have additional negative effects on the disease itself and even on the mental health of the patient’s family members.
The global extent of dementia is generally known only to experts in the field, and to this day there is still a lack of adequate representation in the wider social dialogue. There is a unique and innovative incentive in Gyöngyös where Matralab’s integrated care centers offer day-care activities and solutions to support and provide experts advice to families with dementia. The project is implemented at the regional level, where 25 municipalities start monitoring the conditions and impacts of dementia in the region. As dementia is a prevalent and identifiable condition, affected families need help and support at the widest possible level.