Nowadays, we are facing the challenge of meeting the future needs of the elderly because our society has been ageing gradually which results in an increasing number of people reaching retirement age. This brings about many difficulties, one of which being inability to care for themselves in their own households. This situation leads to the fact that seniors decide to leave their own homes for Senior Homes. In this thesis, I deal with the reasons leading to that decision. In the theoretical part I focused on the issue of old age and aging, the changes occurring during this period and factors that may influence seniors´ decision to move to a Senior Home. The methodology of this thesis was based on a qualitative research strategy. To obtain the necessary information to the research, interrogation technique of a semi-structured interview was used. The objective was to find out the reasons that influence seniors´ decision to start living in a Senior Home. The research was carried out in the Senior Home in Humpolec. The outcomes of this thesis may increase public awareness of this issue.

The thesis deals with various issues related to the allotment of elderly people care allowance. The introduction describes the current state of social policy and services; basic concepts used in this field were defined. The concept of old age and its epiphenomena were briefly and expertly characterized. The main part of the thesis is devoted to ways of obtaining, processing, allotment and functioning of the allowance for the care of elderly people in the region of Milevsko. Given the specifics of the individual Czech regions, it was necessary to describe generally the Milevsko region and to characterize the Department of Social Affairs at the Milevsko Municipal Authority, which pursuant to Czech legislation, carries out all activities associated with the agenda of the allowance for care in the defined region. The objective of the thesis was to map in detail the issues of the allowance care at various stages, i.e. from filing an application till its execution and to describe partly the subsequent use of the allowance. The details of the early stages of processing applications are described, i.e. where there are still many problematic issues. During my work on the problem, I cooperated closely with the staff at the Milevsko Municipal Authority, competent staff at the Department of Social Affairs and a selected sample of senior citizens in the locality. To achieve the set objective, I used the strategy of qualitative research, the method of interviewing and the technique of semi-controlled non-standard interviews of selected clients ? senior citizens ? with the staff of the Department of Social Affairs. The analysis of social and medical records of the client group, along with legislation for the care allowance, was used as an additional method. The outputs of the used techniques were recorded in detail and summarized using tables. The research results yielded many interesting findings; in particular it is still a relatively low general public awareness of the care allowance and it was demonstrated that the most important source of information for senior applicants was a social worker. What needs to be constantly improving is the awareness of senior citizens and their family members of what types of care and compensating aids or activities can be covered by care allowance. It is also necessary to explain to senior citizens and their families how to use the care allowance, such as checks by social workers. According to the findings, I can confirm that the care allowance is a very important factor that helps significantly to offset the dependence of senior citizens, although its amount is questionable. Another finding was seen in an irreplaceable role of the family, family members who provide the care of the elderly and the efforts of all who are involved in ensuring senior citizens can function in their natural environment, which I think is an extremely positive finding. In any case, ?horror? scenarios of abusing the care allowance were not confirmed, which confirms the fact that the control mechanisms in the legislation are relatively well adjusted. Improvements, according to the conclusions of my thesis, must be included in the inquiry stage of processing the care allowance; there is a need to combine general social methods with an extremely sensitive and personal approach to individual applicants in order to achieve optimal use of the care allowance for individuals who could stay in their natural environment as long as possible. Another area of potential development can be seen particularly in the interaction between the actors involved in the process of allotment of the care allowance, e.g. through automated processing of the agenda using electronic forms.

The diploma work addresses the topics of old age and ageing that are becoming more and more noticeable facts in the human society. Ageing population and its social consequences constitute the framework significantly reinforcing the importance and urgency of the topics of old age and ageing of an individual. We have to be aware of the needs of elderly persons and to offer them such services that will help to solve their life situations at the individual level. The subject of the diploma work is the social profile of a senior citizens' home client in the Písek district. The main aim of the work is to map selected events in the life of a senior citizens' home client and to frame his/her social profile. The theoretical part defines the basic concepts in the old age and ageing area, their classification, and their manifestations. Other points in that part include family and family system in care for the elderly and social support and social services systems. The research within the practical part took place in five senior citizens' homes in the Písek district in March through July 2011. To achieve the objectives of the work, qualitative research was performed using the inquiry method technique of semi-standardised interviews with senior citizens' homes clients and social workers. The research intention was to define the decisive events in the senior's life that had influenced substantially his/her leaving the natural social environment; to map the social relations in the senior's family before his/her placing in the senior citizens' home; and to find out the particularities of the social worker's work when accepting the client with regard to the client's individuality and his/her previous way of life. Based on in-depth analysis of the testimonies obtained and secondary analysis of data, hypotheses were set up. The results of the diploma work can be used when drawing up the Community Plan for the Písek district. They can help to identify who uses residential social services for senior citizens and in what way, and what are the senior citizens' needs. The work points out the fact that non-residential social services for the elderly must be developed to enable them to stay in their natural social environment as long as possible; the main aim being to increase the availability of such services in the whole district. Support to family relations of senior citizens' homes clients seems also very important, which puts emphasis on high quality of social workers' work, not only with the clients, but also with their families.

A pesquisa realizou-se no Brasil e em Portugal, a partir de Histórias de Vida de mulheres acima de setenta anos. No Brasil, com exceção de duas depoentes, as participantes são frequentadoras de Educação de Jovens e Adultos e estão em processo de alfabetização. Em Portugal, as entrevistas realizaram-se com frequentadoras da Universidade da Terceira Idade, possuidoras de uma vivência escolar de, no mínimo, doze anos. A tese contempla aspectos filosóficos, tal como o Cuidado ontológico heideggeriano, aspectos sociológicos, tal como o ser-com maffesoliano, aspectos antropológicos, tal como a antropologia filosófica kuschiana, aspectos do processo da hominização desde uma perspectiva biológica. A análise das Histórias de Vida privilegia os fatos que, normalmente, são considerados corriqueiros como a convivência, os sonhos, as perdas, os ganhos e mostram a constituição do humano e da Instituição Escola, enquanto lugar onde o estar-com e o cuidado fundamenta a resiliência em idosos. / The research was conducted in Brazil and Portugal, from Life Stories of women over seventy years. In Brazil, with the exception of two interviewees, participants are attending the Youth and Adult Education and literacy are in process. In Portugal, the interviews were held with attending the University of the Third Age, possessing a school experience of at least twelve. The thesis includes philosophical, as Heidegger's ontological Care, sociological aspects, such as being-with Maffesoli’s, anthropological aspects, such as Kusch’s philosophical anthropology, aspects of the process of hominization from a biological perspective. Analysis of Life Histories emphasizes the facts that are normally regarded as commonplace living, dreams, losses, gains and show the human constitution and the institution's School as a place where being-with and Care underlies the resilience in the elderly.

A pesquisa realizou-se no Brasil e em Portugal, a partir de Histórias de Vida de mulheres acima de setenta anos. No Brasil, com exceção de duas depoentes, as participantes são frequentadoras de Educação de Jovens e Adultos e estão em processo de alfabetização. Em Portugal, as entrevistas realizaram-se com frequentadoras da Universidade da Terceira Idade, possuidoras de uma vivência escolar de, no mínimo, doze anos. A tese contempla aspectos filosóficos, tal como o Cuidado ontológico heideggeriano, aspectos sociológicos, tal como o ser-com maffesoliano, aspectos antropológicos, tal como a antropologia filosófica kuschiana, aspectos do processo da hominização desde uma perspectiva biológica. A análise das Histórias de Vida privilegia os fatos que, normalmente, são considerados corriqueiros como a convivência, os sonhos, as perdas, os ganhos e mostram a constituição do humano e da Instituição Escola, enquanto lugar onde o estar-com e o cuidado fundamenta a resiliência em idosos. / The research was conducted in Brazil and Portugal, from Life Stories of women over seventy years. In Brazil, with the exception of two interviewees, participants are attending the Youth and Adult Education and literacy are in process. In Portugal, the interviews were held with attending the University of the Third Age, possessing a school experience of at least twelve. The thesis includes philosophical, as Heidegger's ontological Care, sociological aspects, such as being-with Maffesoli’s, anthropological aspects, such as Kusch’s philosophical anthropology, aspects of the process of hominization from a biological perspective. Analysis of Life Histories emphasizes the facts that are normally regarded as commonplace living, dreams, losses, gains and show the human constitution and the institution's School as a place where being-with and Care underlies the resilience in the elderly.

Syftet med studien var att kartlägga urininkontinensarbetet med kvalitetsregistret Senior Alerts urininkontinensmodul i två kommuner över en bestämd tid januari till juni 2014 samt januari till juni 2015. Metoden bestod i att använda sig av registerdata som tillhandahölls av registerhållaren för Senior Alert. Resultatet visade att mer än hälften av de personer som riskbedömts i kommun G hade någon form av urininkontinens under båda tidsperioderna. I kommun M var andelen ännu högre cirka 80 %. Bakomliggande orsaker till urininkontinens visade sig vara de aspekter som nämns i Senior Alerts modul förutom förstoppningsproblematik samt nedsatt känsel i underlivet som inte framkom lika tydligt som övriga aspekter. Genom att använda Senior Alert kan ett mönster utkristalliserats och det går att erbjuda individuellt anpassade åtgärder för personer med inkontinensproblematik. Med enkla åtgärder kan personer få hjälp med avföringsregim, toalettassistans, utprovning av inkontinenshjälpmedel hjälpas enligt skalan i Senior Alert. Det vill säga skalan påvisar vilken hjälp som kan behövas för patienten, samt för vårdpersonal som sedan utför avsedda åtgärder. / The purpose of the study is to identify urinary incontinence work with quality registry Senior Alerts urinary incontinence module in two municipalities over a fixed period January to June 2014 and from January to June 2015. The method was to use the registry data that is later held by the Depositary of the Senior Alert. The result showed that more than half of the individuals in risk assessments were conducted on municipal G had any form of urinary incontinence in both periods. The municipality M proportion was even higher, about 80%. Underlying causes of urinary incontinence was found to be the aspects mentioned in the Senior Alerts module except constipation problems and loss of sensation in the genital area that is not revealed as clearly as the other aspects. Using Senior Alert, a pattern emerged, and it is possible to provide individually tailored measures for people with incontinence problems. With simple measures, can patients with feces regime, toilet assistance, testing of incontinence aids can the scale of Senior Alert be helpful. The scale demonstrates what assistance may be needed for patients, health professionals then perform the action.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of attendance at a senior center on the well being and quality of life of grandparents that were rearing grandchildren. Using convenience sampling, grandparents (N=130) who were rearing grandchildren were given a self administered demographic data survey along with an attendance at a senior center questionnaire, the Quality of Life Scale, the Well Being Scale by Liang, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Caregiver Burden Scale, and the Role Satisfaction Scale. An initial MANOVA (F 7, 69 = 2.72, p < .01) suggesting that senior center attendance affect the measures as a set was conducted and then a series of one way ANOVAs were carried out to test the hypothesis that attending a senior center has an effect on the dependent variables: well being, quality of life, role satisfaction, caregiver burden, loneliness, current health, and heath one year ago. Subsequently, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to find out whether frequency and quality of attendance of a senior center predicted quality of life, caregiver burden, well being, loneliness, and role satisfaction, controlling for the demographic data. The results of the MANOVA showed that the dependent variables: quality of life, caregiver burden, well being and role satisfaction were impacted positively by the attendance of a senior center. The results of the regression analyses showed that for each of the major dependent variables, after controlling for the demographic data, the quality and frequency of involvement at the senior center did not have a uniquely significant role in predicting the dependent variables. The results of this study shows that further research need to be conducted to answer other questions regarding grandparents who are rearing minor grandchildren and the affects that senior centers may have in assisting in the management of this new task that grandparents have found themselves dealing with.

The senior care means nowadays mostly the family care. This diploma thesis deals with the experience of family members with the care of a non-self-sufficient senior. The main aim is to take a look at this issue from the point of view of the caregivers and to examine how family caregivers perceive their situation. With the aging of the population, the question arises: how to properly set up a care system for the needs of an aging population members. For the right setting of intervention strategies, it is necessary to listen to those on whom lies the responsibility for the caretakers. The first part of the thesis consists of a theoretical establishment of family care and support, which is provided to the caregivers. Then, it covers various topics related to the changed role of the caregiver (eg. motivation for care, needs and difficulties of caregivers). The theoretical part of the diploma thesis concludes the chapter dealing with gender issues of caregivers. A qualitative research strategy was selected for the research and data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 20 caregivers - 10 males and 10 females. The empirical part maps the care of a non-self-sufficient family member from the point of view both women and men. Afterwards, it describes the circumstances in which a...

The main topics of this master's thesis are active ageing and volunteering of seniors in the Czech Republic. The text considers volunteering of seniors as a form of active ageing. The aim of this thesis is to look closely at volunteering of seniors, how they become volunteers, and find out how volunteering affects their quality of life. Using the method of qualitative research and biographical interview, as a form of data collection, 7 respondents were examined. The result of the research has shown that volunteering has a positive effect on the quality of life of seniors. Improving the quality of life is reflected in the fact that seniors take fewer medicines and they are in a better mental condition. Because of new relationships and experiences, they feel more socially included and happy. Moreover, it is shown that seniors likely to choose work with children as a volunteer activity. In addition, the research has shown that theory of continuity and theory of compensation are approximately equally represented as a theory of the beginning of volunteering. Key words Active ageing, volunteer, senior volunteering, quality of life, senior, ageing, age.

The diploma thesis deals with volunteering of seniors in intergenerational programs. In my work I deal with the phenomenon of volunteering as a beneficial civic activity, together with the phenomenon of an ever-growing post-productive group of our population, the elderly. I connect these two phenomena in my work and put them into interaction with intergenerational issues. The aim of the research part is to map the possibilities of volunteer involvement of seniors in intergenerational programs in the Czech Republic, where senior volunteers act as service providers to the younger generation. I focus on various programs in which the oldest and youngest generation interact directly through various activities. The specific objectives are to find out how senior volunteers are addressed in these intergenerational programs from the perspective of program coordinators and to clarify the causes of the small number of senior volunteers involved in these programs.