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Chernyshkova Elena Vyacheslavovna, Saratov State Medical University n. a. V. I. Razumovsky, Head of Department of Foreign Languages, Doctor of Social Science, Assistant Professor E-mail: chervy@mail.ru
Chizhova Marina Evgenievna, Saratov State Medical University n. a. V. I. Razumovsky, Senior Lecturer, Department of Foreign Languages E-mail: marrchi@mail.ru
Paraschenko-Korneychuk Larisa Nikolaevna, Saratov State Medical University n. a. V. I. Razumovsky, Lecturer, Department of Foreign Languages E-mail: par_larisa@mail.ru
Andriyanov Stanislav Viktorovich, Saratov State Medical University n. a. V. I. Razumovsky, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Humanitarian Sciences and Psychology, Post-graduate
Social attitudes toward active aging: representations of the elderly
Abstract: The main objective of this paper is to throw some light on the active aging and to point out certain medical and social determinants of activity of the representatives of a social gerontological group. It presents the analysis of the main medical and social factors influencing the prolongation of active aging. Keywords: active aging, elderly, prolongation of active aging, social representations.
Scientifically, there is an increased interest directed to the issues on the prolongation of active way of life of the elderly. Since the expansion of the aging tendency, the social and demographic structure of society has been transformed. The article aims to present and to study medical determinants and social representations of activity of a sociogeriatric group as there is a complete integration of the senior age group into social life.
The sociological investigation was held in the Saratov Region in 2015 among the elderly persons. Questionnaires were used as a research method. The survey involved 200 respondents (women — 50 %, men — 50 %) aged 55-65. Therefore it is resulted in the analysis of the main medical and social factors influencing the prolongation of active aging.
The definitions of the activity and the active way of life in the old age are interrelated. However it should be noted that the integrated conceptual meaning of this phenomenon has not been determined yet. While analyzing the role of medical and social determinants in the formation of active way of life of the elderly, the following thesis was used: we considered the way of life as an integrated well-being of an individual in the inner and the outer world allowing an elderly person to study his attitude toward the environment and toward himself through the prism of economic, social and cultural processes. The system of relation of an individual and his natural world is a complex entity including his activities and experiences, presence of healthy habits and absence of bad habits, strengthening or destructing health resources. And activity may be
determined as a conscious energetic participation in the physical, social and cultural reality of an individual himself [1; 2; 3].
The research data revealed the following medical and social determinants of active aging. The most common of them represent health promotion, keeping family ties and prolongation of professional and working activity.
Here health is a key factor responsible for prolonged active way of life of the elderly. Health maintenance measures are of great significance in the old age and aimed at the provision of health status of the elderly. The survey found that there is a number of attitudes to health promotion in order to prolong active aging. They include physical exercises and fitness, proper nutrition and avoidance of unhealthy habits.
It is a well-known fact that physical exercises and fitness are accompanied by such advantages as increase in average life expectancy, support of functional independence and improvement of quality of life of the elderly. Moreover it has been proved that adequate physical exercises prevent the development and aggravation of cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and depression. The question "What physical activities best suit you?" was presented to the subjects. The response of 40.8 % questioned was walking, exercises at home — 33.5 %, stair climbing — 11.2 %, running — 7.5 %, swimming — 4 % and 3 % — attending fitness centers.
However health promotion in the context of the prolonged active aging of the old age group was considered as an individual initiative. It is explained by the modern public health status: it does not provide the prolonged active
Section 9. Sociology
aging (52.2 %), it partially provides (37.0 %) and there is a full provision (10.8 %). The negative evaluation of the public health activity in this direction may be determined by the established stereotype of the elderly as social ballast. To improve the situation state programmes on active aging should be worked out and approved. Furthermore the involvement of the individuals of aging population into the sphere of medical service leads to medicalization of the elderly and results in stigmatization of social gerontological group.
Market development, progress in advanced technologies in medicine and consequently a variety of paid medical services do not improve the status of medical assistance to the elderly. The raging of responses to the question "Do you apply for paid medical services?" showed the social inequality directed to the gerontological group. As a result the majority (69 %) of the respondents said that they had rarely applied for paid medicine. The response of 28 % of the questioned was "regularly" and only 3 % of the questioned answered "often". The reasons for application for paid medical services include modern diagnostic technologies, absence of queues and kindness of health professionals. But the significant number of the questioned (88.6 %) did not consider paid medical service affordable therefore underlining the poverty among elderly populations and developing their frustration.
Another attitude to health promotion among the individuals of the old age group is proper nutrition based on the age and individual characteristics [5]. The majority of responses (77.4 %) proved that the respondents were aware of the differences in diet of the younger and older age groups. However the realization of the approved nutrition patterns for old age groups faced difficulties because of low level of financial welfare among the elderly: only 36.7 % of the questioned may have proper nutrition, 63.3 % of the respondents do not follow the balanced diet as they cannot afford it financially.
According to the research findings it was determined that 54 % of the questioned were informed of the medically approved recommendations on proper nutrition. The majority ofthem (18.3 %) received information from mass media (television and newspaper advertisements), from colleagues, friends and relatives — 14.8 %, from pharmacists' advice — 6.5 %, from health care professionals — 5 % and from the Internet — 1.4 %.
Changing bad habits helps support body resources at older ages. A significant number of the respondents (79.2 %) stated that healthy way of life largely depends on quitting drinking and smoking habits. 16.8 % of the respondents noted that it was important for them to lower the consumption of alcohol and tobacco smoking.
It is also necessary to stress that the highest level in the value system belongs to family. This statement is proved by the opinions the older generation holds about family and
family relationship [4]. Playing an active role in the family events serves an important factor for prolongation of active aging for the representatives of the old age group. According to the research data the majority of the questioned (62.4 %) considered family relations as the main factor of active aging prolongation. The most common forms of the elderly relationships in the family include involvement in grandchildren raising (43 %), taking part in households (32 %) and financial support to children and grandchildren (25 %).
Another significant factor for prolongation of active aging is found to be functional status (professional activity, capacity to work). There are some motives of elderly people to go out to work: financial aspect (21.3 %), a wish to be needed and to be demanded (16.9 %), participation in social activities (16.1 %), working as pleasurable activity (10.5 %), lots of free time (9.9 %), intention to maintain functional and social status (9.0 %) and intention to share the experience (8 %). The respondents of the old age were asked to indicate who was interested in the prolongation of their professional activity after retirement. It is worth noting that personal initiative was a prevailing factor (50.7 %). Family initiative counted 29.4 %, professional organization-related demand — 10.2 % and state-related demand — 9.8 %.
However age-dependant discrimination exists in the labour market and therefore this fact negatively influences the prolongation of active aging in the old age. The survey results found that the majority of the respondents (68.3 %) did not refuse age-dependant discrimination they faced applying for a job. Massive campaign should be undertaken in the realization ofworking and professional opportunities of the elderly: 1 ) state control of employment with the right of choice of forms and types ofworking activity — 42.8 %; 2) legislation conducted in the area of age discrimination in employment against older adults — 24.8 %; 3) creation of possible ways of learning and raising professional skills — 32.4 %. Obviously there are attempts for reformation in the field of social life of the elderly at the macro-level while the global employment situation of the elderly population is unlikely to improve soon. Elderly workers are not treated equally with younger age groups and are perceived as less competent [6]. Further there is no tradition of raising skills and improving qualifications for aging population that lacks their employment opportunities.
The current study showed that the basic determinants of the prolongation of active aging of persons of the old-old age group included sustaining health status, taking part in the family events and professional activity. Regardless of the fact that the state programmes ofactive aging are developing, the realization of activity of older people is closely connected with their personal initiative. In conclusion it should be drawn that the lack of policy in this sphere significantly prevents the active aging.
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