EDUCATION OF THE ELDERLY IN THE CONTEXT OF SUCCESSFUL AGEING CONCEPT

Abstract

In the period of rapid technical, technological and economic development, with the simultaneous process of demographic ageing of the society in many countries worldwide, older adult education has become an important direction of social and economic policy. This situation has led to the fact that the trends of the population ageing were taken into account when working out the industrial policy of developed countries, including the United States. Its main idea is that lifelong development of the individual is considered one of the main conditions for economic growth in the future. The article analyzes the concept of successful ageing, identifies the main factors of successful ageing, reveals a positive relationship between learning activities in old age and successful ageing. It was found that theories emphasizing the inevitable decline of human capacity was gradually replaced with concepts focusing on positive views of ageing. It was caused mainly by demographic, social and economic factors. Successful ageing puts forward the fundamental view that the potential and the experience of older adults could be better developed and utilized in activities that make economic and cultural contributions to society as well as to individuals. On the basis of the analysis of the results of empirical research in the field of gerontology, it is established that mental activity, in particular learning, has a significant impact on the quality of life (in the biological, psychological and social aspects) of a person while ageing. In the context of the demographic ageing of the society, it is important to rethink the role of education in the formation of human capital, in particular regarding vocational training and retraining of older adults in order to acquire new competencies and overcome social exclusion, which is beneficial both to individual and to the society.