Foreign experience of providing social services to elderly people

Abstract

The article reveals the foreign experience of providing various services to the elderly. The provision of social services to elderly people abroad is engaged in by both state and commercial and public organizations. At the same time, social assistance is limited by the composition of services and the composition of recipients.

Attention is drawn to the fact that a wide range of social services for the elderly is provided in European countries. Examples of the provision of social services to the elderly in certain European countries are given. In the Czech Republic, elderly people are offered social counseling, care at home, personal assistance or personal assistant services, respite care for caregivers, etc.

The experience of Europe, where the Age-Friendly Environment favorable for the elderly is being actively implemented, is interesting. Eight spheres of a favorable environment for the elderly have been identified. The development of such an environment contributes to the improvement of the quality of life and the improvement of the well-being of all senior citizens, regardless of their state of health and the presence of disabilities.

It has been proven that the concept of guaranteeing the processes of active and healthy aging to the elderly is being introduced in European countries. The spread of WHO's global network "Cities and communities that support older people" is marked. The set of social services is grouped into two groups, provided for the elderly in hospitals or at home.

It is noted that an important direction in the provision of social services to the elderly is the active involvement of these persons in participation in the life of society.

At the same time, it should be noted that the foreign experience of social work with the elderly is quite diverse, it can and should be used in the work of social services of Ukraine. However, due to differences in historical and economic conditions, it may be partially transferred or should be transformed for productive use in Ukraine.