Martina Hrozenská This publication aims to clarify the issue of quality of life of older people as a societal problem, grounded in the field of social sciences, primarily psychological and social sciences. We approach the quality of life of older people from a historical, social, philosophical, interpersonal, and subjective perspective, as well as from phenomenological, conceptual, and multidisciplinary viewpoints.

PREFACE

Population ageing is being recorded worldwide, not only in developed but also in developing countries. One of the signs of population ageing is the increase in the percentage of the older population in the total population.

It is evident that working with people of advanced age is not at all straightforward. The situation is further complicated by the fact that not every individual prepares equally for old age throughout life and enters it with a sense of burden.

It can be said that the natural role of ageing throughout the human lifespan is the acceptance of irreversible changes and limitations by the individual, in a manner that leads to the preservation of activity, the ability to accept new endeavours in accordance with individual capacities, and the maintenance of one's own individual continuity. Despite many involutive processes and changes, many older people cope with the process of ageing and old age with ease. The later decades of a person's life thus become a meaningful and natural culmination of their individual journey.

One way of understanding the problems of ageing may be the dimension of quality of life as experienced by a particular individual. If we proceed from the premise that quality of life means different things to different people, we will rely on the fact that in the subjective assessment of quality of life, the perception of aspects of everyday existence plays a more significant role than the objective conditions of life themselves. However, problems related to quality of life can have a considerable social impact. Addressing such situations is also a matter of interest for social work.

From the perspective of existing quality of life research, interest in this topic is often directed toward population groups characterized by certain limitations in their living conditions. Whether it concerns persons with physical disabilities, ethnic minorities, or persons of advanced age. The ageing population faces specific problems associated with the increase of negative irreversible changes in their lives. This fact deserves professional attention not only from an ethical standpoint but increasingly from a pragmatic and especially an economic one.

We believe that the fundamental condition for problem-free ageing and a dignified quality of life is the acceptance of reality with the changes and limitations that advanced age entails, together with the ability to maintain an active lifestyle.

The last few decades in particular have been marked by an extraordinarily high dynamic of social change. The vocabulary of ordinary people has been "enriched" with new concepts, among which is "quality of life." An adequate understanding of quality of life requires the specification of its model based on the determination of indicators and facts. Models and research projects that emerged in the past emphasized that a quality life can be better captured and explained when people become aware of and evaluate their own lives and their aspects, rather than through a method that prioritizes the objective quality of various aspects of life. They thus reflected the issues of the psychology of human needs, the hierarchy of values, and the theory of self-regulation. They explored the problem of experiencing satisfaction, happiness, and well-being depending on the living conditions of various population groups.

This publication aims to clarify the issue of quality of life of older people as a societal problem, grounded in the field of social sciences, primarily psychological and social sciences. We approach the quality of life of older people from a historical, social, philosophical, interpersonal, and subjective perspective, as well as from phenomenological, conceptual, and multidisciplinary viewpoints. In its content, we wish to:

  • highlight the complexity of the quality of life issue and focus attention on quality of life indicators and their application to the senior age group in the Slovak Republic,
  • present the influence of positive self-image, coping and dealing with losses and limitations in important life situations on successful ageing, life satisfaction, and the meaningfulness of life,
  • clarify the philosophy of approaching persons of advanced age from the perspective of social work as a professional activity,
  • focus on the practice of social work in the area of care for persons of advanced age.

Population ageing brings new demands for the practice of social work, and thus also for social work education. Social work as a social science discipline responds to the needs of society and to the processes and changes that characterize it. In the 21st century, these include a worldwide phenomenon — demographic ageing of the population. What will be typical for future demographic development in Slovakia is a decline in the number of inhabitants. According to the most likely scenario, the population of the Slovak Republic should fall below 5 million by 2050. Natural growth should increase roughly until around 2010 (1).

The decline in natural growth will accelerate mainly during the period from 2025 to 2040. By the end of 2050, the decline in natural population growth will slow down significantly (Vaňo (Ed.), Jurčová, Mészáros et al., 2002, pp. 12–13). Population ageing will, alongside population decline, be the second major feature of future population development in Slovakia.

The social relevance of the topic is also closely linked to global demographic trends. The issue raised creates space for various socio-political and sociological approaches. This work represents an effort to enrich this topic with a broadly conceived approach to the quality of life of seniors (2), as well as to the study of ageing and old age as a specific life period. The European Commission also adds particular significance to the issue of ageing, having declared 2012 the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations, which in its focus continues from 2010, dedicated to combating poverty and social exclusion, and from the 2011 activities supporting volunteering.

REVIEWERS' OPINIONS

The author draws on an excellent knowledge of Slovak, Czech, and world professional literature in the literature review section and presents the reader with the contemporary understanding of quality of life in the social sciences. She avoids commonly repeated trivialities about quality of life — she addresses the topic in depth and examines it from various perspectives. She recalls the philosophical roots of the concept, which are still present in the hedonic and eudaimonic approaches to understanding subjective well-being, which is often considered one of the indicators of quality of life. The reader is introduced to the subjective and complex form of the modern understanding of quality of life and the usefulness of this concept in the sciences of humans, including social work. In this context, the author considers the possibility that the study of quality of life, which has developed in recent decades into an independent interdisciplinary discipline, could become a source for social work theory. I consider this idea to be inspiring and useful for the further development of theory and research in social work — quality of life has a close relationship with social work; in its practical application it is often considered the goal of interventions and a method for evaluating their effectiveness, while at the theoretical level it raises questions concerning individual and societal prosperity and responsibility for this prosperity. Overall, this is a carefully prepared and well-founded monograph on the topic of quality of life in older age, which presents the current state of quality of life research in the social sciences and contains valuable insights and applications for the field of social work. PhDr. Eva Dragomirecká, PhD.

In the broad spectrum of social sciences, the issue in question is currently being discussed; it carries a distinct social message, and the degree of society's interest in solving this problem speaks to the quality and culture of the social sphere of a particular community. Overall, the monograph is written with great engagement; the author, through her diligence, focus, and personal commitment, has prepared a work for publication that will be a contribution to social work. The professional and scientific dimension of the issue, the author's perspective, and the breadth of scope must be appreciated. The monograph will undoubtedly be useful not only for social work but also inspiring for the social sciences engaged with the issue of quality of life in general, including the quality of life of seniors. doc. PhDr. Eva Fandelová, PhD.

Unlike birth, the older age of people is perceived in gloomier social contexts, both from the standpoint of public opinion and the subjective perspective of persons of advanced age. In this context, the publication by M. Hrozenská, which deals with research on the quality of life of older people, is an unambiguous and significant contribution. The text of the publication is a remarkable contribution by a young, ambitious specialist and has all the prerequisites to enrich the existing professional literature on the chosen topic of quality of life of people in older age. doc. PhDr. Slavomír Krupa, PhD.

CONTENTS

1 QUALITY OF LIFE — HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONTEXTS 1.1 A Historical Excursion into the Issue of Quality of Life 1.2 Socio-Philosophical Foundations of Quality of Life 1.3 From Subjective Well-Being to Quality of Life 1.4 Principles of Quality of Life

2 THE PHENOMENON OF QUALITY OF LIFE 2.1 Approaches to Quality of Life and Quality of Life Indicators 2.2 Conceptualizations and Models of Quality of Life 2.3 Multidisciplinarity (and Multidimensionality) of Quality of Life 2.4 The Relationship between Quality of Life, Poverty, and Social Capital

3 QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE OLDER PERSON 3.1 Quality of Life of Older People 3.2 Quality of Life of Older People and Postmodernity

4 RESEARCH FINDINGS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OLDER PEOPLE LIVING IN RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES IN NITRA 4.1 Basic Demographic Characteristics of Residents of Residential Care Homes in Nitra 4.2 Subjective Life Satisfaction 4.3 Quality of Life of Seniors Living in Residential Care Homes in the City of Nitra 4.3.1 Subjective Life Satisfaction and the Individual's Quality of Life 4.3.2 Quality of Life and Health 4.3.3 Quality of Life and Mental State 4.3.4 Quality of Life and the Social Domain 4.3.5 Quality of Life and the Living Environment 4.3.6 Intimacy and Sexuality of Older People 4.4 Conclusions from the Research on Quality of Life of Seniors Living in Residential Care Homes in the City of Nitra

5 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR PRACTICE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY 5.1 Quality of Life and Subjective Life Satisfaction 5.2 Research Findings Applicable to Practical Work with Seniors

Reviewers: PhDr. Eva Dragomirecká, PhD. Doc. PhDr. Slavomír Krupa, PhD. Doc. PhDr. Eva Fandelová, PhD.

The publication was produced as part of the grant project: UGA No. VIII/15/2011 titled: Perception of Grandparenthood and the Role of Grandmothers by Women in Pre-retirement and Retirement Age, and the grant project: VEGA No. 1/0221/11 titled: Evaluation of the Results of the Resocialisation Process of Clients of Resocialisation Centres in the Conditions of the Slovak Republic.

ISBN 978–80–89245–24–6 EAN 9788089245246 Nitra 2011 Extent: 155 pages Format: A5

(1) In the first quarter of 2011, the trend of increasing natural population growth continued. Natural population growth increased by 65 to 1,140 persons. Through international migration, the Slovak Republic gained 713 persons (1,112 immigrated and 399 emigrated). Total population growth increased by 133 to 1,853. (Population of the Slovak Republic as of 31 March 2011) (2) The terms — geront, person of advanced age, senior, older person — are considered synonyms for the purposes of this publication.