VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3, 2009

An overview of the gerontological and geriatric activities in Slovenia and within the others EU Member States
Božidar Voljč

The article describes both the development and present situation of gerontology and geriatrics within the majority of member countries in European Union, Norway and Switzerland, including Slovenia. It criticaly determines the Slovenian situation where the geriatrical development was ceased after the 22 years of a successful growth.

Key words: gerontology, geriatrics, Slovenia, European Union.

A conception of gerontological and geriatric education
Jože Ramovš

That modern gerontological and geriatric science and skills ought to be introduced into the curricula for doctors and all other health care professions can be justified by current demographic challenges, good practical experience and both Slovenian and European normative documents. Education in gerontology and geriatrics can be enhanced by introducing curricula at three levels of training for a career in health care: 1. basic propaedeutic instruction in gerontology in secondary schools that turn out career health care workers or students of medicine at university or other levels of higher education; 2. adequate geriatric courses in medical schools of higher education turning out doctors and all other expert health care practitioners; 3. postgraduate geriatric and gerontological training for individuals specializing in a field of medicine, research or teaching. Integrating intellectively acquired gerontological and geriatric knowledge with teaching modern social skills applied to communication with the aged and their relatives as well as to professional cooperation between medical workers cannot be overemphasized.

Key words: geriatrics, gerontology, gerontological curriculum, geriatric curriculum, communicational skills.

Long-term care – conditions, challenges, experiments and reform
Vito Flaker, Mateja Nagode

As an idea, insurance, system, method and form of organising services, long-term care can be seen as a major innovation. Long-term care introduces new ways of understanding and conceptualisation of social security, social rights and their enforcement, of relationships between users and their helpers and of position and status of professionals and other providers of care. The process of implementation of new ways of organising and funding of long-term care is going to be very demanding. Namely, the new system will introduce many changes on different levels. The paper outlines the present organisation of long-term care in Slovenia, its institutional and community elements and payments in cash. Experimenting with individualisation and direct funding began in 1995. The pilot project for the long term-care reform is described, some solutions have been offered but also obstacles encountered. Long-term care remains an important challenge that can profoundly change the social and health care.

Key words: long-term care, residential care, community care, individual planning, individual and direct funding of services.

The study among residents in old people's home Gornja Radgona
Suzana Bračič

The majority of old people live in their own homes, yet some of them – due to different reasons – move into an old people's home, where they receive the necessary social and health care. This article presents the results of a study on why do old people more and more frequently decide to go to old people's home. It also discusses the level of satisfaction with services and leisure time activities, that old people's homes offer to their residents.

Key words: ageing, old people, old people's home, institutional care.