Elderly people are those over sixty. Elderly people are one in five of us.

Older people are who we will become in thirty, twenty or ten years.

These are our grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers, uncles and aunts.

Elderly people are those who have a clear feeling that their strength is decreasing every day and their weaknesses are increasing, and that this process is irreversible.

Elderly people are those who have finally understood all the wisdom and justice, all the piercing depth of the proverb “living life is not a field to cross.”

Approaching last edge, many of them for the first time felt all the seriousness or, perhaps, on the contrary, all the frivolity of this life. To them, the elderly, came illness, weakness, poverty, addiction, loneliness, loss; they were forgotten and debunked, they turned away from them, they were written off, crossed out, they lost interest in them; Few people consider them to be people... Meanwhile, they often feel like the boys and girls they were a long time ago; wait, they think, just yesterday we went to school, fell in love, studied, dreamed, made plans for the future, you never know what we did just now... and thought how much we have ahead of us!

Come on, old people, don't tell me, what are you mumbling about? And don’t look at us like that!... We are still so young, so far from you and we still have so much time ahead of us.

In old age, human anatomical and physiological systems undergo more or less significant changes. As people age, their social status and lifestyle change, and their well-being and health deteriorate. A person has difficulty adapting to age restrictions. In order to help an elderly person cope with the upcoming changes, it is necessary to know well what happens to the aging body.

International Day of Older Persons

• On December 14, 1990, the UN General Assembly decided to consider October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons. First, Older People's Day began to be celebrated in Europe, then in America, and at the end of the 1990s throughout the world. Older People's Day is celebrated on a grand scale in Scandinavian countries. On this day, many television and radio programs broadcast programs tailored to the tastes of older people.
• On October 1, various festivals are organized by associations for the protection of the rights of older people, conferences and congresses dedicated to their rights and their role in society. Public organizations and foundations organize various charity events on this day.

The UN Secretary-General said that on the International Day of Older Persons, which is celebrated on 1 October, the UN calls on governments, the private sector, civil society organizations and all people of the world to focus on creating an inclusive society, as envisaged in the Madrid Plan of Action for issues of aging and in line with the Millennium Development Goals and broader global development goals. Together, countries can and must ensure that people not only live longer, but also that their lives are of higher quality, more varied, more fulfilling and more satisfying. This day is traditionally celebrated in Russia, as well as in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Latvia, Moldova, and Ukraine. In Japan, on the third Monday of September, Elderly People's Day is celebrated.

The elderly include different people - from relatively healthy and strong to very old people burdened with illnesses, people from various social strata, with different levels of education, qualifications and different interests. Most of them do not work and receive an old-age pension.

The social living conditions of older people are primarily determined by their state of health. Self-esteem is widely used as an indicator of health status. Due to the fact that the aging process does not occur in the same way for certain groups and individuals, self-esteem varies greatly.

Another indicator of health status is active life activity, which decreases in older people due to chronic diseases, deterioration of hearing, vision, and the presence of orthopedic problems. The incidence rate in older people is almost 6 times higher than in young people.

Financial situation is the only problem that can compete in importance with health. Elderly people are alarmed about their financial situation, the level of inflation, and the high cost of medical care.

According to ongoing sociological research, 60% of retirees would like to work. There are significant differences in the psyche of older people living at home and in nursing homes.

According to some estimates, 56% of residents in nursing homes suffer from chronic mental disorders caused by old age, and 16% suffer from mental illness. Only 5-6% of elderly people suffering from senile dementia live at home; their share is much higher in inpatient facilities. At the same time, in a number of boarding homes for the elderly there are no positions for a psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker.

Modern theories of aging play an important role in organizing social work with older people, because they interpret and generalize experience, information and observational results, and help predict the future. The social worker needs them, first of all, in order to organize and streamline his observations, draw up a plan of action and outline their sequence.

Social work with older people involves the use of theories of liberation, activism, minorities, subculture, age stratification, etc.

Modern social work with the elderly should be built in accordance with the Action Plan on the Problems of the Elderly, developed by the UN more than 15 years ago and designed for the period until 2001.

In the preface to this Plan, the countries of the world solemnly recognize that quality of life is no less important than its duration, and therefore aging people should (to the extent possible) live productive, healthy, satisfying lives in their own families and be considered an integral part of society .

In Russia, a number of federal social programs have currently been adopted, the authors of which are least concerned about the theoretical purity of their plans.

The fruitful use of leisure by a person is an important task of society, because when he carries out the process of his leisure communication with art, technology, sports, nature, as well as with other people, it is important that he does it rationally, productively and creatively.

It is known that spending time in front of the television screen takes up a significant proportion of the free time of elderly residents of boarding homes. Television is their main and often only source of information about events and their hometown. At the same time, for an elderly person, daily meetings in front of the TV provide an opportunity to get out of the small circle of usual interests, expand the sphere of contact with the environment, and provide an occasion for the exchange of subjective ideas of reality.

In order to prevent personality degradation, you can use a variable leisure module, including the following additional feasible activities:

• - solo or joint singing;
• - educational lectures;
• - Board games;
• - handicrafts (individual);
• - drawing;
• - feasible production of crafts.

It has long been noted that laughter has a beneficial effect on human vital functions. Therefore, leisure time should be filled with content that evokes feelings of joy, satisfaction, and improves mood. Forming a positive attitude is a means of prevention conflict situations, promotes deep, restful sleep, motivates a person to various types activities, including socio-cultural. It is advisable to include in the programs of evenings, concerts, video and television viewings more numbers with the participation of comedians, parodists, funny musical fragments (especially in retro style), plastic major dances.

Many programs can be built exclusively on music: dance evenings, “musical living rooms”, playing musical instruments, singing, physical education classes, demonstration of clothing models, concerts upon request.

In leisure programs it is advisable to use the capabilities of all senses. For example, the use of light colors and bright tones in the artistic design of programs creates pleasant mood. A significant share of the success of a leisure program can be ensured by the design of the premises, which immediately includes the visiting viewer in the atmosphere of what is happening.

Great assistance in organizing social, cultural and leisure activities can be provided by a team of assistants and like-minded people, which consists of proactive and responsible residents who are ready to get involved in the implementation of leisure programs.

Persons who have remained sufficiently active (unfortunately, there are few of them) are able to become ringleaders, followed by more passive ones, and contribute to the formation of leisure communities of like-minded people. This is how ensembles, circles, associations, and interest clubs are born, friends appear, and married couples are formed.

In gerontology, there is the concept of “sexism” - an increase in sensual interest in the opposite sex against the background of fading or already extinct physiological functions. Cultural and leisure programs should be filled with subjects that can evoke a desire to be liked and look attractive. Taking into account this feature, it is possible to build the work of a “fashion theater” and the performance of artistic performances. Competition, rivalry between contenders for the sympathy of the person who has aroused interest, has a certain significance. It is very important to recognize the presence of this process and be able to direct it in a healthy direction. The social worker should become a mediator between competitors, highlight their best sides, and perhaps defuse the tension that has arisen. social elderly leisure aging

Friendly relationships can be a good help in organizing leisure time. A friend will always help to include a passive elderly person in the activities that he (she) is engaged in himself (herself). But it is difficult to resist the reluctance to be active if a friend has a negative attitude towards life in general. Here the correctional work of a psychologist should come to the rescue.

The experience of many institutions shows that good results in improving the social well-being of older citizens and reducing psychological tension in their environment are achieved by holding nostalgic film festivals - films released in past decades and telling about the times of youth and maturity of today's older people.

It is useful to devote free time in a boarding school to activities aimed at preserving the health of an elderly person, using sports and recreational techniques. These include educational programs, recreational activities in sports facilities, sports competitions, competitions, walks, environmental excursions, trainings, hypnosleep, and meditation.

Animal-assisted therapy - treatment through communication with animals - deserves special attention. It is good if the boarding house has the opportunity to keep a cage with a bird or small animal. However, sanitary requirements exclude the residence of pets such as cats and dogs. However, in real life There is always an acceptable way to communicate with pets.

Many elderly residents of residential care institutions would like to breed and grow plants, both outdoors and indoors.

Taking into account the type of institution, regional characteristics, and population of residents, leisure activities can be organized both inside the boarding house and outside it, in society.

In the institution itself, leisure activities are implemented according to interaction mechanisms “ old man- an elderly person”, “an elderly person - a specialist”, “an elderly person - a team, a group”, “an elderly person - a young person”, “an elderly person - means of culture and art”, “an elderly person - nature”. These mechanisms are implemented during events, in the work of clubs, and in communication.

Mechanisms that provide for going beyond the boarding institution include the following interactions: “elderly person - institution”, “elderly person - cultural institutions”, “elderly person - state, society”, “elderly person - public organizations"," "elderly man - nature", "elderly man - religion." Such mechanisms are implemented in concert activities, labor, and social work.

Provided that these models interpenetrate, integration processes are realized. Then the elderly person feels like a part of society, and not an isolated unit that everyone has forgotten about.

One of the most pressing problems facing older people today, both in society and in boarding schools, is the lack of communication with relatives, friends, and the younger generation. One of the tools for solving this problem could be the joint creation of special centers - clubs for older people - both in the stationary institution itself and outside it, on the basis of existing cultural institutions (philharmonic societies, libraries, museums, cultural information centers, cultural centers, etc. .d.). These institutions, equipped with equipment, connections to the Internet, and local television stations, create completely new resources to dramatically expand the opportunities of the older generation to use cultural, aesthetic and other knowledge, and therefore to activate cultural needs themselves, creating motivation for activity.

Art therapy deserves special attention. Long-term exposure to the environment of boarding homes has a negative impact on the life of the people living there: they become uninitiative, apathetic, and indifferent. This is due to the situation of subordination to the hospital regime. They develop traits that level personal characteristics, emphasizing the limitations of their interests and desires.

Therefore, art therapy aims to overcome social isolation, increase the self-esteem of an elderly person, recognize his values, and realize his creative potential. Art therapy work is carried out in the form of music therapy. During music therapy sessions, creative forces are activated and negative feelings are released through emotions. Trying to put your feelings into words is creative introspection. At the same time, problems, merging with music, turn into images. A person gets the opportunity to feel “dark” emotions and get rid of them. Participation in group art therapy sessions creates a sense of community among clients. Music therapy is one of the technologies of social rehabilitation.

The range of interests of an elderly person admitted to a stationary social service institution cannot be imagined without acquiring skills independent search and development of interpersonal contacts, inclusion in the information space (TV, radio, press, books, internal information), feasible participation in socially useful work, organization of everyday leisure and entertainment.

Since the purpose of leisure technologies also includes the adaptation of older people entering a residential social service institution, when selecting types of leisure activities (performing, gaming, educational, entertainment, recreational activities), it is recommended, first of all, to focus on their practical usefulness.

Thus, in our country there are more than 30 types of leisure activities to which an elderly person can devote his or her time. free time. Almost every social welfare institution offers older people a whole range of cultural activities, including leisure activities.

Problems of social adaptation of older people in the post-work period. Irzhanova A.A., Suprun N.G., Magnitogorsk State Technical University named after. G.I. Nosova."

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This article examines the problems of social adaptation of older people in the post-work period. The author, relying on existing methods and theoretical knowledge, analyzes the problem and, based on this, proposes possible options her decisions.

Keywords: pension, elderly people, post-work period, social problems

IN modern Russia, as throughout the world, recently there has been a progressive increase in the number of older people, and the need to maintain active life in the post-work period is one of the current topics of modern scientific research.

According to the classification of WHO and the Gerontological Association, older people include people aged 60–74 years, old people 75–90 years old, and centenarians over 90 years old.

One of turning points In a person’s life, the most important change in his lifestyle is retirement, that is, the transition of life into the post-work period.

The post-labor period is the end of one active phase of a person’s social life and the beginning of another, sharply different from the previous one.

The entry of a person into this period should not be understood only as a clearly established phenomenon in time; it can last a long time, since the process of restructuring the consciousness of an individual who is at the pre-retirement stage of life begins long before the actual cessation of work.

One way or another, changes in life contribute to a change in a person’s behavior and lifestyle, his relationships with people around him are re-formed, values ​​are rethought, his attitude towards reality, etc. A person is consciously or unconsciously preparing for the role of a pensioner. Based on this, the person can either accept or reject the new role.

The transition of a person to the group of older people significantly changes his relationship with society and such value-normative and philosophical concepts as: the meaning of life, kindness, happiness, and so on. People's lifestyles are changing significantly. Previously, older people were associated with society, production, and were engaged in social activities, but in the post-labor period they lost their previous social roles. The break with work and former life negatively affects the health, vitality and psyche of older people. And this is natural, since an active lifestyle is a source of longevity and a condition for maintaining good health. But pensioners are not often hired, so they are forced to be unemployed.

Due to age-related characteristics, it is difficult for older people to adapt to changing socio-economic conditions, especially in the post-work period.

Very often, older people retire psychologically unprepared for their new position and new stage of life. Such unpreparedness for change negatively affects the process of their social adaptation, social activity and personal satisfaction.

The general dynamism of older people plays a special role. Among pensioners who lead healthy image life, maintain high physical and especially social activity, the level of adaptation is much higher than among pensioners leading a passive lifestyle.

It should be noted that older people, as a special category, have a number of socio-psychological problems that complicate the adaptation process:

— a sharp decrease in social activity;

- deterioration in health;

- increased lack of demand in the family and surrounding society;

- loneliness, loss of connection with the workforce, forced inactivity;

- inability to find application for one’s creative powers;

- limited circle of contacts with interesting people;

- inability to organize your time and leisure;

- lack of interesting social work.

As a result, most older people feel a decrease in their social status, lose orientation in the modern sociocultural space, and their social contacts are also difficult. This partly explains their depressive state of mind, which has Negative consequences not only for the pensioners themselves, but also for the people around them. In order for older people to transition into the post-work period as easily as possible, they need to successfully adapt to new conditions.

Social adaptation has been used in science for a long time and widely. At the same time, the scope of its application is not limited to any one specific industry or area of ​​scientific knowledge.

Social adaptation of older people is considered as a multidimensional and multifaceted process, as a result of which a new quality is achieved in the life activity of an elderly person. Under the influence of the process of social adaptation, a restructuring of the consciousness of the individual is possible, which will be able to carry out active work in new conditions.

We can talk about a large number of psychological and physical factors influencing the process of social adaptation of older people. There is no single and universal way of adapting to old age. The influence is exerted both by the personality of the person himself, his behavior, habits, the need for social contacts, and his usual lifestyle. So for some people it is optimal to live together with children and grandchildren, for others it is independence, independence and the opportunity to do what they love.

For the adaptation process to be successful, it is recommended to take into account psychological characteristics older people have knowledge in the field of social adaptation in general.

When participating in the process of social adaptation of an elderly person in the post-work period, it is important to remember that the process under consideration is a system of the following stages:

1. Adaptation shock. It is understood as a general disorder of the functions of an elderly person, due to some shock of a sociogenic nature, caused by a sharp disruption of the usual interaction with the external environment. This is one of the most painful stages of social adaptation. It is at this stage of social adaptation that the elderly first encounter the need to master new elements of the social environment and learn their positive and negative aspects.

2.Mobilization of adaptation resources. Here, for older people who have managed to survive the stage of adaptation shock, a stage of deep understanding of the situation begins and concentration of efforts on a conscious search for a way out of it. This stage is associated with an active, conscious search, choice and development at the behavioral level of new models of life activity. The elements of adaptation potential can be such characteristics of the subject as the level of education and qualifications, demographic and social status, socio-psychological characteristics, etc. It is the presence of adaptive potential in an elderly person and its characteristic features that determine his ability to master the situation and get used to it.

3.Response to the “challenge of the environment.” This is the final stage of the process of social adaptation of an elderly person who has retired. Its content represents the implementation of a specific model of behavior and activity that is chosen by an elderly person taking into account his own adaptive resources and capabilities, ideas about what is happening, as well as the main characteristics of the social environment in which the process of social adaptation takes place. At the same time, it is necessary to remember that the choice made by an elderly person does not necessarily have to meet the requirements of the environment.

The successive change of the main stages of social adaptation involves the use of various mechanisms at each of them, each of which is distinguished by its originality and adaptive capabilities, which with their help solve the problem of adaptation to new conditions of one’s life.

It should be noted that older people, due to their psychological, physiological and social characteristics, are less susceptible to social adaptation and perceive changes in life more acutely than the younger generation.

For successful social adaptation, it is necessary to know and take into account the psychological characteristics of older people in the post-work period. This will help build competent work with older people, find mutual language with this category, objectively assess the situation, identify the causes of social discomfort, and also outline real ways to solve the problem.

Links to sources

1. Kovaleva N. G. Lifestyle as a factor of adaptation to life in retirement // Psychology of maturity and aging. – 2004. – N 2. – P. 34-53.
2. Sokolinskaya E. V. Gender aspects of the quality of life in elderly and senile people // Psychology of maturity and aging. – 2006. – N 1. – P. 94-108.
3. Suprun N. G. Quality of life of older people as a social problem // Modern age-related psychology: main directions and prospects of research. – Materials of the international scientific conference on October 20–21, 2015/ – pp. 171-174.
4. Khristenko O. V. Changes in the value orientations of older people in modern Russia // Humanitarian and socio-economic sciences. – 2006. – N 2. – P. 70-72.
5. Shendrik I. Adaptation in reverse: how to prepare an employee for retirement // Personnel Affairs. – 2010. – N 9. – P. 68-75.

Problems of social adaptation of the elderly

The concept of adaptation. Goals of social adaptation of older people

Adaptation is usually understood as the dynamic state of a system, a certain process of adaptation to external environmental conditions, a relationship with the properties of a living organism that ensure the stability of this organism in a changing environment.

The goals of social adaptation of elderly people, as well as people with disabilities, are:

• Preservation and maximum extension of social activity of this group of people;
• Development of personal potential;
• Creating conditions for the opportunity to spend free time pleasantly and profitably;
• Contribute to the awakening of new interests;
• Make it easier to establish new friendships;
• Organization of various cultural and educational events to meet the needs in the entertainment sector;
• Satisfying communications needs;
• Providing conditions for enhancing the personal activity of disabled and elderly people;
• Carrying out activities aimed at supporting and increasing their vitality.

The main thing in the definition of the concept of social adaptation is certainly the essence of the adaptation process itself, that is, we are talking about the problem of human survival, which can be achieved through harmonious adaptation to the changed environmental conditions that surround the subject at a given time.

Definition 1

Social adaptation is the active development by an individual or group of people of a new, unknown social environment.

The concept of social adaptation is a complex phenomenon that includes both a psychological and social aspect.

Adaptation of elderly people living in Internet homes

There are some stages of adaptation:

• Initial. This involves familiarity with and recognition of the requirements of the environment or group;
• Tolerance. The stage implies a person’s state when he does not want to, but understands what is necessary;
• Accommodation. Implies the adoption of rules of behavior in a given social environment or group;
• Assimilation. The final stage of adaptation, which involves complete acceptance of the rules that are required in the new environment or group.

Social adaptation also refers to the goal of a psychological process that, if the course is favorable, leads the individual to a state of complete social adaptability.

To achieve this result, it is necessary to bring behavior into a state of adaptive, characteristic features which are successful decision-making, taking initiative, and clearly defining one’s own future. Or it is necessary to actively adapt a person to the conditions of the social environment, which is a particularly pressing problem of social adaptation of the elderly and disabled.

Of particular importance is the social adaptation of citizens who, due to their age, are in boarding schools.

Social adaptation lies in a certain number of circumstances, namely: the limited ability of special groups of citizens to move, in some cases - a serious health condition, as well as old age.

Changes in the psyche of elderly citizens include memory impairment for events that occurred recently, taking into account the preservation of the reproduction of long-standing events, as well as attention disorders, that is, lack of concentration, distractibility, and also disturbances manifest themselves in a slower pace thought processes, a significant disturbance in the emotional sphere, a decrease in the ability to chronology of events and navigate in space; from the point of view of motor skills, there is also a violation of tempo, smoothness, and coordination.

Social adaptation implies such methods as: adaptation, regulation, harmonization, as well as interaction of the individual with the environment.

While undergoing social adaptation, a person acts as an active subject who adapts to the environment in accordance with his needs, aspirations and interests and, at the same time, actively determines himself.

One of the main places in the activities of specialists is occupied by the socio-psychological adaptation of elderly people who live in inpatient institutions; it has been revealed that the most difficult for an elderly person are the first six months of living in an inpatient unit.

Signs of unsatisfactory passage of the adaptation period are deterioration in mood, feelings of hopelessness, indifference and melancholy. Emotional instability includes symptoms such as irritability, short temper, tears, and so on.

Types of social adaptation

There are several types of adaptation:

• Construction type. Refers to optimally adapted people who can adapt to any conditions. The dominant ones here are needs and a clear life position.
• Protective type. It is characterized by the fact that the needs to protect oneself come to the fore. In general, these are adequately adapting subjects who adapt at the expense of themselves and can protect themselves independently.
• Actively aggressive type. Characterized by aggressiveness and inadequate perception of reality. It is not my fault that the difficulties that occur are blamed on external circumstances.
• Passive type of adaptation. It is manifested by self-pity, states of depression, and general lack of initiative.

After the period of quarantine observation, work on social rehabilitation continues, taking into account personal and age characteristics, as well as the health status of the person observed at this stage big role occupies social and pedagogical education. Through the efforts of the psychologist and, in general, all service personnel, a favorable psychological climate is maintained among residents.

Let's consider the main criteria for the effectiveness of social work.

Performance criteria. A special feature is the high interest of older people with disabilities themselves in active life and socially adaptive work.

Optimality criteria. Manifests itself in maximum efficiency with the least physical effort on the part of the client.

Motivation criteria. Manifests itself in creating conditions for increasing customer activity.

Controllability criteria. It manifests itself in clients’ predisposition to various types of social adaptive work.

Systematicity criteria. Manifests itself in the systematic use of each area of ​​social adaptive work.

Article text

Denisova E. A., Fathullina E. V. Features of socio-psychological adaptation of older people // Concept. –2015. –Special Issue No. 28.–ART75369. -0.4p. l. –URL: http://ekoncept.ru/2015/75369.htm. –ISSN2304120X. 1

ART75369UDK159.9.07

Denisova Elena Anatolyevna,

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Psychology, Tolyatti State University, Tolyatti [email protected]

Fathullina Evgenia Vasilievna, specialist in methodological work Department of Theoretical and Applied Psychology, Tolyatti State University, Tolyatti [email protected]

Features of socio-psychological adaptation of older people

Abstract. This article is devoted to the problem of socio-psychological adaptation of older people. Adaptation at work is considered as the ability of an individual to carry out his leading activities, satisfy his main sociogenic needs, experience states of self-affirmation and free expression of creative abilities. The features of adaptation and maladaptation of older people, the connection between adaptation and the leading areas of life at a given age are studied. Key words: socio-psychological adaptation, personality, gerontology, old age, maladjustment.

Section: (02) complex study of man; psychology; social problems of medicine and human ecology.

Human life expectancy has become one of the achievements of the current century. But at the same time, the question of the quality of longevity has become relevant. According to UN statistics, by 2025 the number of people over 60 years of age will almost double and exceed 1 billion. Experts in various fields say that in the near future there will be a predominance of people aged 70 years and older. The current situation and the forecasts of experts regarding the demographic situation present a number of medical, psychological and social problems to modern society. Satisfying the various needs of older people will be determined not only by the level of medicine in general and gerontology, and the social maturity of society. Modern research revealing gerontological, psychological, social features elderly people (V. Klimov, N. Dementyeva, F. Uglov), say that there is great interest in this problem, which is poorly understood. Existing public opinion about old age enhances the real physiological and psychological problems of an aging person. Also L.S. Vygotsky said that this period of a person’s life is characterized not by extinction and fading phenomena, but by a qualitatively different psyche, due to the fact that human development is a chain qualitative changes. The fact that each person ages individually suggests that sadness and grief are not an unambiguous characteristic of old age, and decline is not the only way of change. This age has its own purpose, which plays an important role in the human life cycle: old age determines the general paradigm of personal development, providing a connection between times and generations. It is old age that helps to understand and explain life as Denisova E. A., Fatkhullina E. V. Features of socio-psychological adaptation of older people // Concept. –2015. –Special Issue No. 28.–ART75369. -0.4p. l. –URL: http://ekoncept.ru/2015/75369.htm. –ISSN2304120X. 2

the whole, its essence and meaning, its obligations to previous and exploring generations. This age helps to solve problems and obtain the necessary solutions, but they could not be realized if age was characterized only by shortcomings and inferiority in comparison with maturity. However, old and senile age is still called the “age of social loss” in psychology and social sciences. And this has certain grounds: old age as a certain stage of life is characterized by age-related changes in the body of each person, changes in his functional capabilities, needs, role in the family and society, and this is quite painful both for the person himself and for his environment. Loneliness comes into the lives of older people with old age, and this phenomenon should be considered as obviously negative. It is often believed that lonely people are closed, unattractive, and not sociable people. Old age represents a life of isolation, which adversely affects life expectancy and represents loneliness. An elderly person finds himself in a difficult and unusual situation for him - a situation of uncertainty. Overcoming the phenomenon of uncertainty is the main life task of an elderly person. To solve such a problem, the subject needs to sharply limit the number of degrees of freedom, the exorbitant increase of which characterizes the unbearable state of uncertainty. Its elimination requires the individual to mobilize, improve, further development subjective abilities: to choose, in accordance with one’s capabilities and desires, new roles and take responsibility for their fulfillment, to maintain and expand the network of interpersonal relationships, not to be afraid of experimentation and risk when developing a new pattern of life, to redefine the structure of meanings of the changed life world. Thus, very The problem of socio-psychological adaptation of older people is becoming relevant, which is what this study is devoted to. The theoretical aspects of this problem are widely discussed in foreign psychology. Thus, in the works of authors of foreign psychology, the non-behaviorist definition of adaptation has become widespread (G. Eysenck and others). Within the framework of this approach, adaptation is defined as a state in which the needs of the individual, on the one hand, and the requirements of the environment, on the other, are fully satisfied, i.e., in a certain sense, “a state of harmony between the individual and the natural (social) environment” is achieved. Another concept of adaptation, based on the interactionist theory (L. Phillips), considers the conditioning of adaptation by intrapsychic and environmental factors. In addition, representatives of this concept distinguish between adaptation and adjustment. Based on the above, it can be noted that adaptation is a process in which a person successfully uses the created conditions to achieve his goals, values ​​and aspirations. In the works of domestic researchers, we can often find a different understanding of social adaptation, as a result of the process of changes in social, socio-psychological, moral and psychological , economic and demographic relations between people, adaptation to the social environment. Thus, F. B. Berezin notes that the human community is an adaptive system. In A. Nalchadzhyan’s research, socio-psychological adaptation of the individual is considered on the basis of the idea of ​​ontogenetic socialization. Socio-psychological adaptation of Russian psychology Denisova E. A., Fatkhullina E. V. Features of socio-psychological adaptation of older people // Concept. –2015. –Special Issue No. 28.–ART75369. -0.4p. l. –URL: http://ekoncept.ru/2015/75369.htm. –ISSN2304120X. 3

is considered as a state of relations between an individual and a group, when a person, without long-term external and internal conflicts, effectively carries out his leading activities, satisfies his main sociogenic needs, experiences states of self-realization and free expression of creative abilities. Adaptation can be carried out with the help of constructive (goal setting, cognitive processes) and protective mechanisms (denial, suppression, regression, humor, etc.).

Together with different types adaptation there is such a phenomenon as disadaptation. Disadaptation usually leads to disruption of interaction with the environment and may be accompanied by various kinds of conflicts. The main criteria for maladjustment in Russian psychology are disturbances in professional activity and communication, as well as reactions that go beyond the expected reactions to stress, such as aggression, depression, increased anxiety, etc. The success and speed of adaptation are not the same for different people, in many ways depend on the typological characteristics and the degree of social adaptation (maladjustment) of the individual. Moreover, the degree of adaptation of an individual can be determined, on the one hand, by the properties of the social environment (the homogeneity of the group, the importance and competence of its members, their social status, the uniformity of the requirements), and on the other hand, by his own properties and qualities (the person’s competence, his self-esteem, the degree of identifying oneself with the group, commitment to it, as well as gender, age, etc.). Most modern authors point out that adaptation is an active process, leading either to positive (the totality of all useful changes in the body and psyche) or negative (stress). At the same time, two main criteria for successful adaptation are identified: internal comfort and external adequacy of human behavior . It is these criteria that characterize the quality of life of an elderly person. Science knows the factors of both mental and physical aging of a person, one of them is a negative or negative attitude towards oneself. Each person must decide for himself: to live a full life, participate in public life, or live an individual, isolated life. This decision entails the identification of two ways of adaptation - preserving oneself as an individual and preserving oneself as an individual. According to E. Erikson, in old age as a stage of development, there are two ways – progress or regression of the individual. Thus, a person determines by his choice the meaning of the rest of his life. In connection with this choice and strategy of adaptation in old age, the leading activity can be aimed either at preserving a person’s personality, or at individualizing and “surviving” him against the background of the gradual decline of physical, physiological and other functions.

These aging paths are subject to the laws of adaptation, but imply different quality of life and its duration. In scientific literary sources, the second individualistic version of aging is presented in more detail, the picture of which is represented by the fact that the existing changes presented at a given age are manifested in the fact that the body undergoes restructuring, but at the same time retains adaptive functions against the background of their general decline. This adaptation option represents a gradual change in basic life functions and, in general, the structure of regulation of functions to preserve a person, maintain or increase life expectancy. This adaptation option results in the restructuring of the “open” personality system into a “closed” system. The scientific literature says that the relative isolation in the psychological aspect of old age is represented by E. A. Denisova, E. V. Fatkhullina. Peculiarities of socio-psychological adaptation of older people // Concept. –2015. –Special Issue No. 28.–ART75369. -0.4p. l. –URL: http://ekoncept.ru/2015/75369.htm. –ISSN2304120X. 4

a general decrease in interest in the outside world, self-direction, decreased control over emotions and feelings, exacerbation of various personality traits, as well as in leveling individual qualities personality. Often, all personal changes are explained by the isolation of the interests of an elderly person on himself. Many domestic and foreign authors point out that an elderly person who is unable to do something for other people cultivates a feeling of inferiority, which is enhanced by irritability and the desire to hide, an unconscious feeling arises envy and guilt, and in the future this results in indifference to others and poor adaptation to the new age stage Thus, if an elderly person chooses a “closed circle” strategy, then such an age can subsequently be difficult to consider as the age of development. The most favorable option for adaptation is when an elderly person tries to preserve himself as an individual and this is most likely due to the development of his social connections. In this case, the leading activity in old age can be considered the processing and transfer of experience. Sharing one's life experience, the products of one's life wisdom, supports an older person, making him useful to society and thus maintaining his connections with society, as well as a sense of social belonging. The area of ​​such significant activity in old age is the widest: it is either the continuation of professional activities, or writing memoirs, or helping to raise grandchildren and students, or things that you have always wanted to do. The main point is creativity, with the help of which both the quality of life and its duration are increased. According to D. Bromley, “retreat” from life during old age consists of three stages: retirement, decrepitude, painful old age and death. And further, old age can be described as a lack of employment in modern society, the absence of various roles other than family ones, increased social isolation, the slow decline of close people, mainly among peers, physical and mental insufficiency. Domestic psychologist N.F. Shakhmatov in his study also emphasizes that “recognition of oneself as old is the most important mental factor of aging.” Agreeing with this statement, S.G. Maksimova says that the orientation of the individual towards his real, physiological age prevents an elderly person from starting to do something that he has not done before (for example, starting to dance, draw, etc.). In such situations, older people become indecisive and anxious. IN empirical research, conducted jointly with master’s student A. Borisov, the adaptation features of older people were studied. For this purpose, a number of methods were used, including the “Diagnostics of Socio-Psychological Adaptation” method by Rogers Diamond. The results obtained are described below. Thus, the “adaptation” indicator for almost all elderly people turned out to be normal, and only a small number of pensioners had socio-psychological adaptability above the norm. The indicator “acceptance of others” in 80% of the subjects corresponds to the norm, while in the remaining 20% ​​the indicator is above the average value, which indicates the presence of compensatory capabilities in relation to oneself and to the demands of reality. The “emotional comfort” indicator in 84% of subjects is higher than normal, which indicates an optimistic mood and balance. 16% of subjects demonstrate high scores on the “discomfort” scale. Denisova E. A., Fatkhullina E. V. Features of socio-psychological adaptation of older people // Concept. –2015. –Special Issue No. 28.–ART75369. -0.4p. l. –URL: http://ekoncept.ru/2015/75369.htm. –ISSN2304120X. 5

16% of respondents rely only on their own strength, believing that much depends on themselves. However, the majority of respondents—84%—need special external support and care. “Dominant behavior” is characteristic of 80% of older people; for them this figure is higher than normal. The indicator “statement” is characteristic of 10% of subjects; they are dependent on the opinions of others. The “escapism” indicator is higher than the norm for 16% of respondents; these people tend to “walk away” from problems without solving them. For the rest of the subjects, the indicator was normal. Thus, the results of the diagnostic study showed that the majority of elderly subjects undergo psychological adaptation adequately, they are aware of their characteristics and their conditions. Most of them have developed social communication skills and their behavior is appropriate to the situation. But at the same time, approximately 15% of respondents experience adaptation difficulties, use unconstructive ways of solving situations, have difficulty accepting themselves and others, depend on other people’s opinions and need special support. As a result of further research, it was found that there is a relationship between various aspects of socio-psychological adaptation and leading areas of life for older people. Thus, a correlation was revealed between education (0.44), hobbies (0.41), physical activity (0.45) and adaptability of older people. The importance of the “profession” sphere correlates with the “external control” scale (0.41). Thus, the most important areas of life for the successful adaptation of older people have become professional activities, education, hobbies and physical activity. Despite retirement, many older people consider professional employment important and continue to work. Successful adaptation at this age is facilitated by the desire to gain new knowledge, expand your horizons, read new books, find a new hobby, favorite hobby, as well as the desire to keep yourself in good physical shape, maintain and improve your health.

1. Antsyferova L.I. Late period of human life: types of aging and possibilities of progressive personality development // Psychological Journal. –1996.–№6.–S. 32–38.2. Vygotsky L.S. Sob. cit.: in 6 volumes. – M.: Pedagogy, 1984. – T. 1.3. Polishchuk Yu.I. Aging of personality //Social and clinical psychiatry.–1994.–Vol.4.–Issue.3.–P.108–115.4.Tolstykh A. Ages of life. – M.: Education, 1988. – 223 p. 5. Frankl V. Man in search of meaning. – M.: Academy, 1990. – 400 p. 6. Erikson E. Life cycle: epigenesis of identity // Archetype. –1995. – No. 1.7. Shagidaeva A. B. About old age as the last stage of ontogenesis // Young scientist. –2014. –No. 4. -WITH. 725–729.

Elena Denisova,

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, Chair of the Department of Theoretical and applied psychology, Togliatti State University, Togliatti

[email protected] Fathullina, Specialist in methodical workof the Department of theoretical and applied psychology, Togliatti State University, [email protected] of social and psychological adaptation of elderly peopleAbstract. This article is devoted to a problem of social and psychological adaptation of elderly people. Adaptation in work is considered as the ability of the personality to carry out the leading activity, to satisfy the main social requirements, to endure conditions of selfaffirmation and free selfexpression of creative abilities. Denisova E. A., Fathullina E. V. Features of socio-psychological adaptation of older people // Concept. –2015. –Special Issue No. 28.–ART75369. -0.4p. l. –URL: http://ekoncept.ru/2015/75369.htm. –ISSN2304120X. 6

Features of adaptation and disadaptation of elderly people, communication of adaptation with the leading spheres of life at this age are studied. Keywords: social and psychological adaptation, personality, gerontology, advanced age, disadaptation.

Gorev P. M., candidate of pedagogical sciences, editor-in-chief of the magazine “Concept”

Received by the editorsReceived09.11.15Positive review receivedReceived a positive review18.11.15Accepted for publication18.11.15PublishedPublished01.12.15

© Concept, scientific and methodological electronic journal, 2015© Denisova E. A., Fatkhullina E. V., 2015www.ekoncept.ru

Adaptation of older people

From this article you will learn:

What are the problems of social adaptation of older people?

Why is adaptation of an elderly person necessary?

What technologies exist for adaptation of older people that are applicable in modern society?

How does adaptation of older people take place in a private boarding house for the elderly?

The problems of social and socio-psychological adaptation of pensioners are the most pressing at the moment. To make adaptation smooth, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of old age. It is extremely important not to disrupt the lifestyle of older people. This is especially true for boarding houses and boarding houses, where adaptation of older people sometimes causes painful and anxious feelings among pensioners.

Problems of social adaptation of older people

Average life expectancy has increased greatly in recent years. In this regard, the share of pensioners in society has also increased. Problems related to their social and social status, role and place in the family, medical and social rehabilitation and social services, social guardianship over them are especially important and significant. Social adaptation of older people in society is one of the main tasks facing social services.

The social aspect of aging is especially significant. The fact is that old age is a transition to fulfilling a new social role, which means it involves changes in group and interpersonal relationships. Unfortunately, European civilization does not maintain a special moral aura towards pensioners. But eastern culture is famous for following traditions and respect for the elderly.

The ordinary consciousness and value system of Western people defines a pensioner as a subject of reproduction. Of course, the adaptation of older people with such an attitude towards them becomes significantly more difficult, that is, a member of society who has already fulfilled his main function becomes a kind of burden for his biological species. Alas, there is no talk at all about the moral and higher aspects of the problem of old age.

Of course, it will take us a lot of time and effort to rethink the moral nuances of aging and the situation in which retirees find themselves. Social adaptation of an elderly person should be aimed at making the pensioner feel like a full member of society.

At the moment, society's desire to facilitate the final stage of life for pensioners is limited by legislation, medical services, nursing homes, boarding houses, etc. Adaptation of older people, as a rule, is very painful.

Unfortunately, the conditions of the modern world are not conducive to the social adaptation of pensioners. The situation becomes paradoxical. Medical workers strive to prolong people's lives, but the situation in which pensioners find themselves is very deplorable. At the same time, such an important topic as adaptation of older people does not receive due attention.

Attitudes towards old age speak about the moral level of society. A kind, dignified, happy, beautiful old age is a reflection of human values. If attention is not paid to such an issue as the adaptation of older people, then not the happiest last years of life await each of us.

The rhythm of aging is determined by the standard of living of an elderly person, working conditions, social and psychological factors, and lifestyle.

When a person becomes elderly, a reassessment of values ​​and guidelines occurs. He changes his lifestyle, stops production activities and loses business connections. However, the pensioner continues to take part in some types of social activities, due to which the adaptation of older people is not so painful.

Those elderly people whose work was highly valued in the past, but now turned out to be useless and unnecessary, find themselves in a sad situation. With termination labor activity their health deteriorates. Lack of work affects vitality and mental condition person. This is quite natural, because work, as we know, is the most important condition for good health, thanks to which the adaptation of older people occurs naturally and easily.

The lifestyle of older people depends on how they spend their leisure time, whether society creates opportunities for them to spend their free time fully and actively. Many retirees are interested in social activities and find great pleasure in it. Of course, adaptation of older people who are passionate about what they love does not cause them any difficulties.

Social-psychological factors There are many factors that affect the adaptation of pensioners, but the main one is stress. We are talking about nonspecific reactions of the body that are caused by stress factors. Pensioners have a hard time experiencing their retirement, the death of one of their spouses, isolation, emotional conflicts, etc. Psychological adaptation of older people who find themselves in difficult life situation, allows them to accept their new position and start life “from scratch.”

Stress reactions develop in stages. First, the stage of mobilization occurs, then the stage of adaptation, and after that the stage of exhaustion. The first stage is characterized by an increase in blood pressure, tone nervous system, the emergence of fears, anxieties and aggressive states. At the adaptation stage, the body develops adaptive reactions, physiological functions and mental processes are normalized. If stress is moderate, it contributes to the development of adaptive behavior.

In other words, the human body adapts to the situation that has arisen. This state is called “eustress”. If a person cannot cope with accepting the current life situation, then a stage of exhaustion sets in, the psyche is disturbed and numerous diseases develop. This state is called “distress”. Constant chronic stress negatively affects the body, causes premature aging, reduces immunity, and contributes to the development of diseases. Adaptation problems of older people are often the reasons for their deteriorating health.

Unfortunately, the problems facing older people are multifaceted. To solve them, it is necessary to take measures that are aimed at increasing the vitality and quality of life of pensioners, to ensure that the adaptation of older people is not so unpleasant and painful for them.

How does social adaptation of an elderly person occur in modern society?

Social adaptation- this is the active adaptation of the individual to new conditions.

We are talking about a social process, the active assimilation of social norms necessary for life in new conditions. As a rule, adaptation occurs over a short period of time. Social adaptation is the most important mechanism of socialization.

If social adaptation is successful, then the pensioner is psychologically satisfied with the conditions of his life. As a rule, such people adequately relate to their new lifestyle and new position. They are happy with what they have a large number of free time, they communicate more and engage in creativity.

If problems arise in the adaptation of an elderly person, then this is fraught with deterioration in health and poor health. Disadaptation is characterized by a lack of balance in the relationship between the individual and the environment. Unfortunately, some retirees are very worried because their living conditions have changed. In such a situation, adaptation takes a long time and is painful. An elderly person cannot find new circle communication, get carried away with something, find new interests.

If the adaptation of older people in society is not successful, then, as a rule, this is caused by one of the following reasons:

Hormonal changes in the body;

Revision of life guidelines;

Career changes;

Grown up children who no longer need their parents;

Change in general health.

A social worker who detects symptoms of maladjustment in a pensioner must understand what exactly the elderly person is dissatisfied with. Most likely, it will be possible to create a whole list of reasons why the socio-psychological adaptation of older people is so painful. The social worker needs to identify the main cause of dissatisfaction, as well as possible solutions to the problem.

1) Physiological adaptation

Pensioners are characterized by a variety of psychophysiological changes. The weakening of functional capabilities in old age is manifested, first of all, in the fact that the body has difficulty adapting to the environment. The body of an elderly person responds to any external stimuli. For example, pensioners often react to changes in air humidity, weather, pressure, etc. It should be noted that aging citizens have difficulty adapting to a new life situation.

To resolve issues of physiological adaptation of pensioners, it is especially important the following factors:

Quality of medical care;

Quality of consumer services;

Lifestyle;

Leisure and recreation.

2) Socio-economic adjustment— mastering socio-economic norms, principles of relationships. Economic adaptation is very important for an elderly person if he is a poor, unemployed person.

3) Social and pedagogical adaptation involves the formation of life values ​​through educational and educational methods.

Social and pedagogical adaptation of pensioners is carried out using the following methods:

Training using specialized literature (brochures, memos, instructions);

Individual consultations;

Group work.

4) Socio-psychological adaptation (psychological) is a process that is associated with the adaptation of the human psyche to the effects of stress and the protection of the psyche from excessive stress through the formation of optimal physical and neuropsychic tone.

To make the adaptation of older people in modern society less painful, social workers use the following methods:

Communication methods (psychodrama, transactional analysis, gestalt therapy);

Methods based on non-verbal activity (art therapy, music therapy, pantomime, etc.);

Suggestive method;

Discussion therapy (technology for social adaptation of older people through discussion of issues that concern the pensioner);

Group therapy;

Creating an environment of positive communication;

Organization of leisure time.

Thanks to the use of the above methods, adaptation of older people proceeds more naturally, smoothly and painlessly.

Professional adaptation - this is the adaptation of an elderly patient to a new type of business activity, team, working conditions and characteristics of a certain profession.

The success of professional adaptation is determined by the pensioner’s inclination to specific production activities, the coincidence of social and individual motivation for work and other circumstances. Professional adaptation, being a subtype of social adaptation, takes place only in labor relations, that is, we are talking about the employee’s adaptation to working conditions, work standards, etc.

How do older people adapt in private nursing homes?

The attitude of older people to life in boarding houses varies. Some consider their position to be an opportunity to live in comfortable conditions without the need to create problems for family members and society. Others are unhappy with their new situation and hope to return home soon. By the way, the latter often consider their children ruthless and inhuman. Social adaptation of older people in such a situation becomes significantly more complicated.

Entering a nursing home is a critical moment in the life of a retiree. He faces unforeseen situations, new people, unusual surroundings, uncertainty about one’s social status. The presence of such circumstances forces older people to adapt to the external environment and respond to the changes that occur in it. Older people overestimate themselves and their capabilities based on the conditions of the changed situation. This process is painful and difficult, but pensioners are helped to cope with such difficulties by the staff of the boarding house.

Psychologists work with newly admitted pensioners. Adaptation and rehabilitation of older people involves going through the following stages:

Stage 1: Social and psychological adaptation—lasts 14 days

The task at the first stage— reduce the feeling of anxiety among pensioners. Employees strive to alleviate the situation of older people by studying the process of their socio-psychological adaptation to changing living conditions.

The program is designed for the period of time during which the pensioner stays in the reception and quarantine department (2 weeks). During this time, clients will have to get acquainted with complete information about life in the boarding house (through stands, photo albums reflecting the lifestyle, leisure time of residents, oral surveys, conversations to determine the personal characteristics of patients, questionnaires, virtual tours of the nursing home).

Employees identify the reason why the pensioner came to the boarding house, introduce the elderly to the daily routine, etc. The admitted person learns comprehensive information regarding everyday issues, the provision of medical and social services, and meetings with relatives and friends. The psychologist fills out the relevant documents, determines the characteristics of the elderly person’s character, his interests, attitudes, habits, and analyzes the data obtained.

The organizer of cultural events introduces older people to hobby groups and clubs. Adaptation of older people through leisure is one of the most effective methods. An occupational instructor talks to retirees and explains the types of occupational therapy available. Gradually, the elderly acclimatize to the conditions of a nursing home. They learn to interact with other people and prepare to live with roommates.

Boarding house employees ensure that pensioners obey discipline rules. In addition, a psychologist works with patients. It studies the individual psychological characteristics of each guest, helps relieve stress, anxiety, anxiety, and form a new life stereotype. The psychologist also develops individual psychological maps and does everything possible to ensure that the adaptation of older people is as comfortable as possible for them.

First, the psychologist conducts a conversation with the patient, during which he finds out what the elderly person’s views on life and problems are. The specialist strives to show the pensioner that he is interesting as a person. This conversation takes place informally. The psychologist is interested in the character traits of an elderly person and communicates with him in a friendly manner. As a rule, pensioners feel genuine interest in themselves and open up in this conversation.

Stage 2: Social and psychological adaptation— lasts from 2 weeks to 6 months

After the psychologist has analyzed the information obtained during the conversation, he makes recommendations regarding the placement of an elderly person in one of the rooms. When settling, many factors are taken into account. This is about motor activity, character traits, health status, psychological compatibility with neighbors. For example, it is not practical to place 2 leaders in the same room.

The main goal of this stage is to create comfortable living conditions and a favorable psychological climate. Social workers study the patient’s potential, the degree of social activity, and identify them Creative skills. Employees are engaged in creating a favorable socio-psychological microclimate, ensuring employment of patients, organizing leisure time, creative activities. Thanks to all these actions, adaptation of older people is less painful.

As a rule, the success of adaptation is largely determined by how attached the patient is to his illness. Boarding house employees have to act as psychologists and distract older people from sad thoughts.

Stage 3: Adaptation to the team and strengthening positive social skills—lasts from 6 months onwards

This stage is longer. Six months after the elderly man moved into a boarding house, he has to make a difficult decision. The pensioner needs to understand whether he wants to return home or stay here for permanent residence. At this stage, the older person consolidates positive social skills. This happens thanks to meaningful leisure, employment, and comfortable living conditions. In other words, each guest receives a psychological orientation towards new image life. As soon as he begins to feel like a full-fledged member of society, the adaptation program for the elderly person is considered complete.