Socialno delo on-line archive

Socialno delo, Vol. 54 (2015), Issue 1



Master studies of social work with old people

ARTICLES

Jana Mali, Danica Hrovatič
Past and present development of gerontology and gerontological practice in Slovenia - 11, (Abstract) (Full text)
Marija Bukovec
Determining the influence of residents on the quality of services provided by homes for older people - 21, (Abstract) (Full text)
Sandra Novak, Judita Sudec
Influence of animals on the life quality of the elderly - 31, (Abstract) (Full text)
Danuška Breznik
Adjustment of social welfare forms of assistance to the elderly in Ljubljana - 41, (Abstract) (Full text)
Maja Ambrožič, Špela Mohar
Methods of social work and their use in working with people with dementia - 53, (Abstract) (Full text)




Abstracts

 
Jana Mali, Danica Hrovatič
Past and present development of gerontology and gerontological practice in Slovenia

(Full text)

Past and present development of gerontology and gerontological practice in Slovenia was marked by the principles of social gerontology agreed upon in the 1960s. They emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of the science as a basis for the development of interdisciplinary gerontological practice. In the past, gerontological practice was directed by the Gerontological Institute and the Gerontological Association of Slovenia. After the abolition of the Gerontology institute, there was a considerable gap in the field of geriatric research, education and knowledge of health needs and lives of older people in Slovenia. The Gerontological Association of Slovenia filled up this gap by publishing numerous publications, organising seminars, courses and public debates on various questions relating to aging and old age, as well as by exploring issues of purely medical nature, that are a part of medical gerontology. The development of social gerontology had been taking place continuously at various higher education institutions. Since 2000, a number of socio-political documents were approved with planned and determined care for older people. Today in Slovenia, experts in various scientific disciplines explore age, ageing and intergenerational relations, they publish expert knowledge in this field and work in practice.



Keywords: old age, education, health, social policy, Gerontological Association.

Jana Mali, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana. Her areas of research and teaching include social work with older people, social work with people with dementia, supervision, methods of social work, long-term care. Contact: jana.mali@fsd.uni-lj.si. Danica Hrovatič, Master of Science, with education in social work and sociology. She operates in several organizations and is the founder of the Institute Pleiades. Engaged in social development programmes, adult education, advisory and expert work, she is a licensed supervisor. Contact: danica.hrovatic@guest.arnes.si.


 
Marija Bukovec
Determining the influence of residents on the quality of services provided by homes for older people

(Full text)

The author presents the society, older people and demographic changes with projections which suggest that the population of older people will rise. The thesis outlines some stereotypes about older people and points to their stigmatisation, with special emphasis on social workers that should find answers for both - the label and stigmatisation. The second part of the article analyses interviews with residents who shared their experience according to our research questions regarding the course of their day, their influence on the services, the access to information, and the possibilities for personal development. The life of the interviewees is very monotonous, especially for immobile residents who daily face a dull routine. They are required to abide by the principles and house rules, therefore, they have very little influence on the life in the home for older people. The relations between the employees and the residents are not always respectful; the residents are often unable to influence the situation and have little privacy. As for the personal development, the residents are left to their own initiative.



Keywords: old age, institutional care, autonomy, participation, personal development, social work.

Marija Bukovec is a social worker and a Master student of Social work with the older people, at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana. Contact: marija.bukovec@siol.net.


 
Sandra Novak, Judita Sudec
Influence of animals on the life quality of the elderly

(Full text)

Loneliness in old age can be dispelled in various ways, including with pets. It is not so important what kind of pet we have, the main thing is to share love with animals and to be willing to take care of them. Animals can be loving and loyal, consoling and entertaining. In the article, the focus is on dogs and cats, as they are most common pets, but other animals can also need good care and responsible owners. Influence of animals on the quality of life of older people is of interest to social work, as it brings insight into the positive effects of animals on people's lives. It is presented in the article, what kind of bond there is between a person and an animal, and what responsibility is involved. Having an animal can contribute to living more actively. It is also important for the profession of social work to connect the care of the animals and the care of the elderly in special homes for older people and to enable contacts between residents and animals.



Keywords: age, health, activities, therapy, homes for older people.

Sandra Novak and Judita Sudec are Master students at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana. They specialise in social work with old people. Contacts: sana89@gmail.com, sudec.judita@gmail.com.


 
Danuška Breznik
Adjustment of social welfare forms of assistance to the elderly in Ljubljana

(Full text)

In Slovenia, the services offered to the elderly and provided by both public and private sectors do not meet the needs of a heterogeneous population of the older people and do not enable them to have good quality of life in their old age. The quality of life of the elderly in Slovenia is largely influenced by forms of assistance for the older people, intergenerational solidarity, and the financial situation of the elderly. The results of the research “Assessment of the needs of older people in the Municipality of Ljubljana” indicate that the forms of social security assistance for older people are basically financially unattainable for the majority of respondents. Sometimes relatives as a source of social support ‒ especially children ‒ need to help their parents covering the cost of the most basic needs. Personalized environment and increased access to services are two basic requirements that can improve the quality of everyday life. The task of social workers is to adjust help to the needs of the older people and to research their life-world. Therefore social workers should take into consideration older people’s heterogeneous needs, and respond with the individualized approach based on the user perspective and the concept of rights, where the users have influence over the design of their service.



Keywords: intergenerational solidarity, rights, social welfare, assistance, quality ageing, needs of the elderly.

Danuška Breznik is a full time postgraduate student at the Faculty of social work, University of Ljubljana. In 2013, she was involved in the “Training and education of volunteers for managing self-help groups for older people”. Contact: breznik.danuska@gmail.com.


 
Maja Ambrožič, Špela Mohar
Methods of social work and their use in working with people with dementia

(Full text)

Aging population requires new methods of work with older people, forcing us to discover new ways to cope with the challenges posed by aging and old age. The multidisciplinary integration of disciplines is very important because it contributes to the quality of aging and gives older people a voice. Working with the elderly is specific and, specifically in social work, encompasses an important space of research and interweaves theory with practice. In this context, it is necessary to rely on the concepts of social work, which direct the social worker towards personal work and throughout the working relationship. Methods of social work with the older people vary considerably. The method of personal planning is paramount and used increasingly in practice, its purpose being to preserve users’ influence over important decisions in their life. The authors present methods of working with people with dementia and offer a broader insight into the methods of personal planning and advocacy. At the same time they depict the history of the development of social work with the elderly.



Keywords: ageing, education, concepts, experts, help, history.

Maja Ambrožič and Špela Mohar are Master students at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana. They specialise in social work with the older people. Contact: majckaa@gmail.com in spelamohar@yahoo.com.