Education of Seniors in Residential Facilities in the Framework of Activation Activities in the Form of the University of the Fourth Age (Minireview)

Abstract

The article presents the University of the Fourth Age as one of the new possibilities offered pedagogical, educational and activation activities for seniors in residential facilities defined by the legislation of the Czech Republic (Act #108/2006 Coll.). In connection with the increasing demographic population aging in contemporary society there are changes in the social policy of the state, which is reflected in the concept of active aging seniors. One of the possibilities of im proving the quality of life of seniors in residential facilities and better coping with this difficult life period with regard to its specifics can be the so-called University of the Fourth Age, one of the offered activation activities. On the basis of increasing the age of clients and the trend of lifelong learning in the form of acquiring social competences, it is also necessary to improve the quality of spending leisure time in residential facilities, that is, the continuous acquiring or renewal of knowledge from various areas of life (environment, law, health, medicine, etc.). It is a comprehensive educational program, created based on the interest of seniors of the given residential facility. Activation activity in the form of the introduced educational activity can also be prepared for clients with chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, when lectures at the University of the 4th Age are devoted specifically to this issue and can appropriately support disease compensation and their active aging in the residential facility.