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WieśiRolnictwo3(184)/2019
ISSN0137-1673
Editors’Note
Thankstoimprovinglivingconditions,growingaccesstomedicalservicesand
growinghealthcareawareness,lifeexpectancyiscontinuingtorisenotonlyamong
urbanbutalsoruralpopulation.However,ageingisbecominganincreasingly
importantsocialchallengefromthepointofviewofthesocialwelfarepolicy.
Thepreviousmeasuresaimedatsupportingtheelderlyhavebecomeinsufficient
andnewonesmustbedevelopedtoadjusttothechangingneeds.Adynamically
growingelderlypopulationinsocietiesworldwidecallsforbroadeningtherange
ofhealthcare,long-termcareandsocialsecurityservicestoeffectivelymeetits
needs.Itisimportanttomaintainphysicalandemotionalwellnessoftheelderly,
tokeepthemactiveandallowthemtocontinuetheircareers,allofwhichmeans
promotinggoodqualityoflife.Thechangingagestructureofsocietiesandgrowing
costsofcareoftheelderlyposeconcernsastowhethervariouscountriesthat
havehithertooperatedsocialsecuritysystemswillbeabletobearthestrain.
Becauseofongoingsocialchangessovividlyvisibleincontemporarycommunities,
thehithertofamily-basedsystemsofcarefortheelderly(chieflyinvolvingwomen)
havelargelybecomeinsufficientbecausemulti-generationhouseholdsareinretreat,
anincreasingnumberofwomenpursuecareersandthereisgrowingmigrationto
urbanareas,whichleadstolivingfarfromhome.Arapidincreaseinelderlysingle
households,oftenheadedbywomen,callsforthedevelopmentofanewandefficient
systemofelderlycare.Thisisthecasei.e.inVietnamandUkraine,wherefamily
hastraditionallyplayedthecrucialroleincaringforitsmembers,includingseniors.
InPolandtheageingissueisofparticularconcern-weleadintheEuropean
UnionrankingofthemostrapidlyageingEUmemberstates.Nearly40%ofthe
Polishpopulationliveinruralareas,whichareverymuchnon-homogenousin
termsofdemographic,socialandeconomiccharacteristics.Certainruralareas,
especiallythoseneighbouringbigcities,aredevelopingdynamicallyandare
inhabitedlargelybytheworkingpopulation.Otherareasarestrugglingwith
depopulationandtheresultingdeficitofpublicservices,includinghealthcare
services,publictransportandalackofmoneyinmunicipalitybudgets,which
makesitimpossibletomaintainthemunicipalinfrastructure.Itoftenhappens
thatoldpeoplelivepreciselyinthoseareas,whichcreatesalotofchallengesfor
theelderlythemselves,fortheirfamilies,aswellasforgovernmentsofalllevels,as
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