engleski

Community and social services utilisation in the TTB elderly study

Aim. As the number of elderly people grows, so does the interest in their needs for various services. The interest comes from various sides: elderly – as direct beneficiaries ; service providers ; public and private financial sources for these services. The aim of this research was to determine the level of community and social service utilisation among elderly in five European countries. Methods. The analysis was based on filed interviews with 3545 persons older than 70 across eight districts in five European countries: Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Greece and Croatia. The interviews comprised a number of instruments addressing different aspects of health and service utilisation. Results. Results show variations of service utilisation depending on the type of service, as well, as depending on the district. The northern districts more frequently use the chiropodist’s service, get help with cooking and cleaning, have social visits, receive meals, attend the day care centers than the southern, while the southern districts use more frequently financial advices. The other difference can be found when looking at the helpers within a certain service – in the north it is dominantly home help, while in the south it is relatives. Conclusion. The community and social services are rather underused. Generally, the more intimate the service, the less used it was. Elderly in this sample have rather strong social network, relying mostly on neighbours, apart from relatives and friends. Utilisation of community and social services varies between as well as within countries.

elderly; social services utilisation; community services utilisation; TTB

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