1. Elder-friendly Communities. Implications to an urban region of Greece
Kleio Koutra, Kiottou Tsampika, Kakouli Konstantina, Loukas Sparos,
Kosmas Tabakis, Nikoleta Ratsika
Laboratory of Local Community Development (LoCoDe), Social Work Department,
Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Crete, Greece
Aims
This study aims to investigate the degree of friendliness of the inhabitants of the Edessa community to the elderly and to explore the community’s social capital.
Conclusions
Methods
The study, proves that Edessa's environment degree of friendliness and the social capital level are both low.
Therefore, housing, transport, accessibility, services, labor, market, social/cultural and values need to be improved in order to develop policies to respond as much as possible to the needs of the elders.
Cross sectional analysis
Housing
Transportation
Accessibility
Services
Work
Shopping
Social/culture
Values
Sample
Is my community elder friendly?
200 people aged years old
Permanent residents of Edessa
Stratified sampling
Community elder friendly score
Social Capital Questionnaire
Questionnaires
Implications
The life among the elderly is complex.
Social workers and other health and social service providers should invest in a more trustful environment by encouraging trusting attitudes and creating possibilities for social participation of the elders.
Planners and policymakers must envision elder-friendly communities for the future.
Results
The majority of the sample responded that the elderly are not provided with vocational opportunities, education and participation in voluntary actions. The elderly are treated to a small extent with friendliness and respect, the opportunities of participation are limited and general population are not interested in being informed about the needs and problems of the elders.
Contact information: Dr Kleio Koutra,
Lecture Social Work Public Health,