AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATION OF SENIORS IN RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES
a
MIROSLAVA DEBNÁRIKOVÁ,
b
MICHAL KORICINA
Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education,
Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra,
Drážovská 4, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia
email:
a
miroslava.debnarikova@ukf.sk,
b
michal.koricina@ukf.sk
The article is the output of authors within the project UGA PF UKF V/8/2020 called
Leisure time of older adults and possibilities of its educational use and the project
VEGA no.1/0001/18 called Preparation for ageing and old age – possibilities of
andragogical intervention.
Abstract: The article aims at the current issue of how to use leisure time of seniors in
residential facilities, placing a particular emphasis on educational activities. Authors
point to education possibilities in the residential environment, aspects and
characteristic features of educational activities, and social services clients' specific
objectives. In the second part, authors focus on those educational areas, which
represent essential topics in senior education in the 21st century, and they apply them
into real conditions of residential facilities. Education is perceived here as a useful tool
for developing retired peoples' personalities and a crucial element in developing
society.
Keywords: seniors, education, leisure time, seniors with a disability, residential
facilities
1 Leisure activities of seniors in residential facilities
The phenomenon of leisure time represents a significant
opportunity. In particular, this is true for seniors who learn how
to use their leisure time after being retired. In this life period,
their leisure time increases in several hours daily. For this
reason, there arises a crucial question of its meaningful use, i.e.
seniors need to fill this time with such activities that are
beneficial for them and, at the same time, they do not endanger
other people (Krystoň, 2019). In the submitted article, we deal
with seniors' leisure activities and education in residential
facilities because social andragogues can directly influence
seniors' target group. They can help them achieve a higher
quality of their lives. We describe possibilities of leisure
activities, their perception and objectives, and essential areas of
leisure education of seniors in the 21st century.
In the ideal society, no seniors would have to spend the final
period of their lives without their families and friends. However,
many families currently cannot and do not always want to look
after their oldest members (Haškovcová, 2010). Sometimes, it is
not possible because of their serious health condition, 24-hour
care, long-distance, workload and other reasons. In these
situations, the state helps these families with its legal system.
According to the Law no.448/2008 Journal of Law about social
services, as amended, the state defines types, forms and ways of
providing social services and types of social facilities related to
them. State-owned entities and non-state entities can be
awarding authorities of these facilities.
The following institutions belong to these social service facilities
aimed at senior clients: facilities for seniors, residential social
service facilities, specialised facilities, nursing care facilities and
daycare centres. One of the criteria for choosing the appropriate
type of social facilities for seniors is their degree of social
service dependence. It is essential to judge a natural person's
dependence on another natural person's help in specific
activities. Twelve areas are in assessment with the scale from 0
to 10, where 0 means that the given person is dependent on the
help of another person in the majority of judged activities. The
degree of dependence can be from I to VI. A more detailed
description is mentioned in Annex 3 to the Law 448/2008
Journal of Law about social services, as amended.
According to this criterion, seniors with the highest rate of
assistance (degrees of dependence V and VI) become clients of
social service facilities and specialised facilities (they have a
disability, mainly Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease,
Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Sclerosis Multiplex,
Schizophrenia, Dementia of different etiological types, Deaf-
Blindness and others). Seniors with a lower rate of assistance
(degree of dependence IV) become clients of social services in
facilities for seniors, daycare centres (degree of dependence III).
For example, if citizens were in the facility of supported
residence even before reaching the retirement age, and their
degree of dependence remains at level III, they can stay in the
given facility.
According to V.Labáth (2004), the following aspects
characterise people who get into residential care:
Their established life programme and lifestyle are
"disturbed",
They become clients (patients, inmates, convicted). At best,
they are clients requiring assistance. At worst, they become
impersonal numbers (institutional mortification),
They become dependent, nonautonomous people who get
into asymmetric, subordinated position. Clients have their
precisely defined roles, and their rights and obligations have
a different character as well,
There is a sharp decrease in frequency and intensity in all
types of impulses which a differentiated social environment
can provide to them,
People – clients get in touch with people who have similar
problems as them, and it is necessary to create their place
here,
To some extent, authorities can decide about them on
several issues (Labáth, 2004, p. 83).
Seniors need to cope with the transition from the family
environment into the social institution. At the same time, they
need to adapt and accept their old age. Határ (2014a) says that
these processes will depend on "the level of peoples` sociability
and adaptability, their achieved education, life aspirations, social
and professional roles they had in the past. Education in social
adaptation in their childhood, young age, and adulthood will
significantly impact these processes. "(Határ, 2014a, p. 56).
Similarly, authors C. Pichaud and I. Thareauová (1998), in their
publication Soužití se staršími lidmi, say "that contrary to
frequent prejudices and convictions, research showed that the
ability of adaptation is not related to age. Ageing means that
people cope with loss in their lives. At the same time, they
continue planning their future and live in hope." (Pichaud,
Thareauová, 1998, p. 34).
Based on the definition in the Andragogical Dictionary (Průcha,
Veteška, 2014), the leisure time of seniors in these facilities is
"time when they can decide how they will spend it according to
their ideas, hobbies and needs. It is possible to see that leisure
time depends on peoples` profession and education, age, and
personality type. Education is a meaningful activity in leisure
time in the productive age (further education) and the post-
productive age (seniors' education)."
(Průcha, Veteška, 2014, p.
288).
According to Határ (2014b), clients in residential facilities have
two basic possibilities of education:
"1) Possibilities of education carried out in the social facility
within a) leisure and therapeutical activities (obligatory) and b)
their educational activity (optional);
2) Possibilities of education carried out outside the social
facility. They take place in educational institutions (e.g.
academies or universities of the Third Age) and other social,
cultural, healthcare and pro-senior oriented facilities,
organisations and communities." (Határ, 2014b, p. 26).
Building on J. Wingchen, C. Határ (2014b) describes these four
categories as the main objectives of education:
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