Current Conceptual Approaches for Assessment of the Process of Ageing and Old Age

Abstract

Ageing should be considered not only as an increase in the number of elderly and old people in their absolute and relative numbers, but also as a unity of the transformations of the lifecycle, with an emphasis on: later retirement, prolonged period of good-quality life, an active approach towards the process of retirement and differentiation of the category of "fourth age". The general preparation for old age has earned a new appeal in the contemporary societies. Motivation of the old people for activity -both physical and intellectual -is of great importance for the better survival of the old age and long life in good health, supported by realized well-being and feeling of joy from life. In this aspect the study of both risk and protective factors for human health (in a salutogenetic perspective) becomes increasingly fundamental. The issue of population at an advanced age has definitely been considered as an independent subject since the beginning of the 21 st century. Moreover, the society perceives it as an essential basis for further progress and flourishing of the mankind. In this sense the demographic strategies treating the problem need to address it in a new positive way, with different and positive attitude, accepting the population-related failures and anxiety and turning them into challenges and advantages. th century concedes to the physicians the main responsibility for solving the problems of ageing and old age. He had not presumed that this burden would be assumed by the entire society. In the past century the average expectation of life almost doubled and the number of old people sharply increased. The first signals of ageing of the population date back from the 1960s. The global society is already older than ever before in human history. Europe is the region in the world with the oldest population. At the same time it is assumed that research in the field of ageing on this continent has considerably fallen behind in comparison with the USA. Ageing of the population on the Old Continent can be attributed mainly to two major demographic tendencies -decrease in birth-rate and increase life expectancy. This process creates a fundamental problem of complex nature -social, economic, psychological, medical, etc.Experts from the World Health Organization have established the that the stages typical of the second half of the human life are: medium age (maturity) -45-59 years of age; advanced age -60-74; old age -75-89; long-living persons (macrobiots) -90 and over. In many countries at least 10 % of the population belongs to the group of people over the age of 65 (Bassuk et al, 1999). In the following decades the developed countries will likely witness a sharp increase in the actual and relative numbers of old people, while doubling the number of those over 65, and probably tripling (possibly even quadrupling) the number of people over the age of 85. World Trade Organisation and the World Bank include ageing of the population among the future problems of highest priorities for the developing co...