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Copyright of Annals of the Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists is the property of Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Population ageing constitutes an increasing medical, social, and economic burden worldwide. Optimal senior policy should be based on well-assessed knowledge on the prevalence and control of age-related diseases, multimorbidity, disabilities, and their social determinants. The objective of this paper is to describe the assumptions, methods, and sampling procedures of the PolSenior2 survey, which was aimed at characterising the health status of old and very-old adults in Poland.Material and Methods: The project was conducted in the period 2018-2019 as a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of people aged 60 years and over. Subjects were selected using three-stage stratified and proportional random sampling in seven equally sized (n = 850) age groups. The study protocol consisted of face-to-face interviews, specific geriatric scales and tests, and anthropometric and blood pressure measurements performed by well-trained nurses at participants homes as well as blood and urine sample laboratory tests.Results: In the Polsenior2 study a group of 5987 subjects underwent the questionnaire parts of the survey, and almost all (n = 5823) agreed to blood or urine sample collection.Conclusions: In recent decades several studies focused on various aspects of elderly health and life conditions had been carried out in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. However, none of them is so complex and has covered so many issues as PolSenior2, which is the largest study devoted to the health status of older persons in Poland and one of the largest and the most comprehensive in Europe. The results of the study will help to improve health policy targeted at the elderly population in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the size and the age structure of a population have a great impact on an economy, especially on national savings and capital flows. Poland's population, although still relatively young when compared to other developed countries, is expected to experience accelerated ageing and decline in forthcoming decades. In this paper, we assess the effects of these processes for Polish economy. Using an open-economy OLG model with demographic shocks and a variable retirement age, we simulate dynamics of real interest rates, main macro aggregates as well as net foreign assets to GDP.We show that rapid ageing will reduce the interest rate gap between Poland and the developed countries by 1.3-2 p.p. We also document a strong positive relationship between interest rates and the retirement age and find that the decline in the interest rate in Poland is primarily driven by the surviving probability shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management & Innovation is the property of Wyzsza Szkola Biznesu-National Louis University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the characteristics and functional-demographic diversity of municipalities in Poland that use spatial data. It answers the question about the relationship between accessibility to services of general interest (SGI; public administration, child-care, educational, medical, and cultural services) in municipalities and their demographic conditions. Demographic literature devotes much space to demographic transformations in the context of their underlying causes and spatial variations and to the impact of these changes. Meanwhile, transport-focused approaches concentrate on the spatial accessibility of SGI themselves, the methods for measuring them and the various methodologies employed. This study combines these two study areas in order to present the broadest possible approach to the accessibility of SGI among communities at different stages of demographic advancement. We found that the nature of demographic processes is associated with the level of accessibility to SGI. Notably, accessibility to educational and medical services in depopulating areas is better than in ageing areas. The opposite is true for cultural services. The poorest accessibility affects those communities where the two above demographic processes overlap. There is clear variation in the accessibility of SGI: functional urban areas having the best accessibility and remote areas the worst accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demographic research of the world population shows that societies are ageing. The ongoing changes in the population structure will require appropriate quantitative and qualitative adjustments in health services to meet the needs of society. Simulation methods turn out to be helpful in these kinds of analyses. In this paper, the authors present a case study on using discrete event simulation (DES) to support decision-making in the field of hospital bed management in the light of demographic changes. The case study was elaborated for one of the Polish district hospitals. A DES model was built to simulate admissions to two hospital wards: paediatric and geriatric. A series of experiments were carried out as based on real data extracted from the hospital database and forecasted demographic trends elaborated by the Central Statistical Office of Poland (CSO). The influence of demographic changes on hospital admissions in the chosen age-gender cohorts was explored, examining different variants of hospital bed availability. The results of the experiments show that demographic trends significantly influence healthcare admission and bed utilisation. The reduction in the number of admissions to the paediatric ward by about 6% results in a change in average bed utilisation from 57.90% to 54.06%. With about 12% more admissions to the geriatric ward, the change is from 68.88% to 75.59%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the association between structural and cognitive aspects of social capital and self-rated health among adults aged 50 or more, living in three countries: Finland, Poland and Spain. The study, which was based on data from the European Social Survey (2008/09), was a part of the EU research project COURAGE in Europe. More specifically the paper assesses the association between social capital indicators – informal social network and general trust – and good self-rated health through single-level and joint effects analyses. The results showed that Finland was a country of high social capital, in terms of both social networks and general trust, while Spain showed low levels of general trust and Poland low levels of informal social networks. As to the association between social capital and self-rated health, high levels of general trust and high networks were found to be associated with good health among all countries' respondents. Older persons living in partnerships, with higher education, higher levels of engagement in informal networks and general trust, were found to be more likely to show good self-rated health. Our comparative analyses revealed different associations between social capital and health according to country. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The occurrence and morbidity of cancer increase with age. The aim of the study was to ascertain the beliefs of older people about the access to and quality of cancer care in Poland and to determine the impact of gender, age, education and SES variables on their beliefs. In 2012, a sample of 910 adult residents of Wrocław was studied by means of an interview questionnaire and quota sampling was applied. This paper presents only the data obtained from two of the six age categories researched (N = 329; specifically the age categories: "55-64 years" and "65 and over". It was established that more than half of the respondents evaluated the treatment conditions in hospitals negatively; most being critical of the access to the medical services for oncology. The results show a divergence between the assessment of the medical personnel's instrumental function and the care received. Although 75% of seniors positively assess the competence of oncologists, 45.29% evaluate their interpersonal skills negatively. It was found that criticism of oncological care increases with the age of the respondents and their lower financial state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of the dynamic ageing of local communities, smart cities and smart villages programs should seek to ensure meeting the needs of the elderly and promoting solutions tailored to their computer literacy, digital skills, and perception capabilities. In this context we propose to approach local smart and age-friendly communities initiatives in a way that would provide responses to two contemporary megatrends: digitalization and demographic transition. We assumed that the deployment of such initiatives in local planning and governance depends on at least two conditions: demand for smart everyday products and services represented by older adults and the perspective of the local decision-makers. The paper aims to examine whether the smart city/smart village idea focused on meeting the needs of the elderly and seeking to shape age-friendly local communities and the environment could be implemented in the municipalities in Poland. The analysis of the elderly Poles' capabilities to absorb the ICT solutions demonstrated that the smart and age-friendly community approach may face implementation difficulties, especially in the oldest groups of the Polish rural population. Results of the quantitative study conducted in 1236 municipalities revealed that local authorities perceive local policy goals, such as pursuing smart and age-friendly development as low priority ones. A citizen-centered approach of village heads and mayors to the local policy is critical for integrating these two priorities of being smart and age-friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing of the population is an important phenomenon in the society, it is also the normal process of time-related change which begins with birth and continues until death. These changes include how a person feels and functions with respect to physical or mental competences. We can use numerous measures and classifications to analyse the advancement level of the ageing of society. The quality of ageing and the way of experiencing old age translate into seniors' activity and activation, and that very often depends on their health and the level of independence. Active lifestyle makes an individual feel needed, free and independent, he/she has the sense of belonging to smaller and bigger social groups, thus, the process of experiencing old age becomes delayed. The lack of activity has its consequences in the sense of loneliness and social isolation, or even premature death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polityka Spoleczna is the property of Institute of Labour & Social / Instytut Pracy i Spraw Socjalnych and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article deals with old-age care facilities in Poland which are aimed at people from Germany. These facilities emerge against the background of severe criticism of old-age care facilities in Germany. The media projects a widespread use of these facilities, claiming this is mainly due to the lower costs as compared to Germany. Against the backdrop of normative discussions about old-age care in Germany, doubts about a widespread use of facilities abroad may arise. Indeed, we will show that in quantitative terms, the facilities in Poland are a marginal phenomenon. Drawing on neo-institutional organisation theories, we demonstrate that the facilities face legitimisation challenges that consist of being able to align with the socially shared values and norms of old-age care in Germany to position themselves as a legitimate option. We analyse whether and how the facilities deal with these challenges. We particularly focus on the only facility we found that has a substantial number of residents from Germany. We show how the facility takes on the legitimation challenge by its motto 'Just like in Germany – only better', while other facilities position themselves as 'low-cost facilities for people from Germany'. The low take-up of the latter indicates that low prices alone do not attract a substantial number of residents from Germany into the facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research Papers of the Wroclaw University of Economics / Prace Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego we Wroclawiu is the property of Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wroclawiu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Innovative methods to manage frailty are critical to managing the needs of an ageing population. Evidence suggests there are opportunities to reverse or prevent frailty through early intervention. However, little is known about older adults’, families’ and practitioners’ beliefs about the malleability of frailty. This study examined European stakeholders’ accounts of the acceptability and feasibility of frailty screening and prevention to inform future intervention development. Semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews were conducted in three European Union countries (Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom) with key stakeholders – frail and non-frail older adults, family care-givers, and health and social care professionals. Thematic analysis identified four themes: synchronicity between the physical and the psychological in frailty, living with frailty in the social world, the need for a new kind of care, and screening for and preventing frailty. Findings emphasised the need for a holistic approach to frailty care and early intervention. Integrated care services and advocacy were important in the organisation of care. Central to all stakeholders was the significance of the psychological and social alongside the physical elements of frailty and frailty prevention. Support and care for older adults and their family care-givers needs to be accessible and co-ordinated. Interventions to prevent frailty must encompass a social dimension to help older adults maintain a sense of self while building physical and psychological resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Active attitude toward treatment and health (ATH) leads to improved cooperation and better health outcomes in patients. Supporting it in the population of older adults is a growing need in primary care. Recognising the role of gender, health and other sociodemographic factors can help to distinguish patients who need the most assistance in activation from general practitioners (GPs). The objective of the study was to investigate gender differences in ATH as well as the moderating role of self-assessed health (SAH) and selected sociodemographic factors (age, education, financial status, marital status).Methods: A cross-sectional, multicentre study among 4936 primary care older patients (aged 50+) was conducted. The PRACTA-Attitude toward Treatment and Health questionnaire (PRACTA-ATH) was used to measure the cognitive, emotional (positive and negative affect), and motivational dimensions of ATH. Patients were approached before and after their visits in the primary health-care facilities randomly selected in Central Poland.Results: Generalised linear models (GENLIN) revealed the main effects of gender, SAH, and sociodemographic characteristics, such as financial status, marital status and education. Interaction effects of gender and age (Wald's χ2 = 24.767, p < 0.001 for ATH Global), as well as gender and SAH (Wald's χ2 = 16.712, p < 0.002 for ATH Global) on ATH were found. The most assistance in regard to ATH was required by men aged 50-74 and men declaring good self-assessed health. Generally, women declared a more active attitude than men, showing more knowledge (M = 5.40, SD = 0.07 and M = 5.21, SD = 0.07, for women and men, respectively, p = 0.046), positive emotion (M = 5.55, SD = 0.06 and M = 5.33, SD =0.06, for women and men, respectively, p = 0.015) and motivation to be involved in their health issues (M = 5.71, SD = 0.07 and M = 5.39, SD = 0.07, for women and men, respectively, p = 0.001). The level of negative emotions related to health was not significantly different between genders (p = 0.971).Conclusions: The need to create health promoting programmes taking account of particular gender differences in older adults emerges. In regard to clinical practice, building a sense of efficacy and individual responsibility for health, providing information about the means of health promotion and prevention, and recognising health-related cognitions, is recommended especially for men who feel well and are less advanced in age (50-74). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing populations entail important social issues. The population of Lodz is characterised by the highest ageing ratio in Poland (17.2% people aged 65 or above). The aim of our study was to present factors determining the use of social support services in the subpopulation of elderly people in a city environment. The study, conducted between 2011 and 2012 with the use of a survey questionnaire, included 466 respondents aged 65 or older, who were looked after by the Municipal Social Welfare Centre, Lodz-Polesie. The response rate was 93.2%. Most beneficiaries were women (77.9%). The respondents were mostly widows (73.9% of women) or widowers (43.7% of men). Most respondents applied for nursing services (79.7%), while 28.3% asked for financial help. In Lodz as a whole, these percentages were 81.0% and 19.0%. A chronic disease was the most common cause of the application for help (73.4%). In 4.1% of applicants, the cause was a low income per capita. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the variables which contributed to receiving financial support included being a man, aged 65-69 years, being single and receiving a monthly salary per capita below 500.0 PLN (Polish New Zlotys). The variables which contributed to receiving social care service in the form of nursing services included being a woman, aged 85 years or older, receiving a monthly salary per capita between 1001.0 and 1500.0 PLN, suffering from a chronic disease, which was a reason for applying for social support service, a result on the Activities of Daily Living scale confirming disability and a very negative self-evaluation of health. The results of the study have shown that the poor health condition of elderly people is the most frequent reason for applying for social services. Identifying reasons for applying for social care by elderly people might facilitate the introduction of workable solutions in the social and healthcare policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processes of population ageing in Poland is very dynamic, according to the population projections, in the next fifty years the Polish society will become one of the oldest in Europe. In the article authors present current system of health care and social support in Poland and a results of case study realized in one of the first social farms for elderly in Poland. The aim of this article is to analyze potential of social farming as innovative solution supporting the elderly living in Polish rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]