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Artykuł zawiera poprzedzone diagnozą, w której ukazano możliwości uzyskiwania społecznego wsparcia przez osoby starsze w Polsce, wnioski dla polityki senioralnej w zakresie form zaspokajania potrzeb opiekuńczych seniorów. Autorzy omawiają wybrane wyniki ogólnopolskiego badania gerontologicznego PolSenior2, w tym szczególnie: rodzinne zasoby osób starszych, z jakich mogą korzystać, gdy potrzebują wsparcia, poziom zaspokojenia potrzeb opiekuńczych seniorów oraz lukę opiekuńczą. Na podstawie wyników badań empirycznych oraz analizy wpływu pandemii COVID-19 na funkcjonowanie instytucji opiekuńczych autorzy formułują rekomendacje dotyczące procesu deinstytucjonalizacji usług opiekuńczych w Polsce. Wskazują, że dominujący w naszym kraju rodzinny model opieki nad osobami starszymi sprzyja deinstytucjonalizacji, ale proces ten nie może polegać na przerzucaniu na rodzinę coraz większej odpowiedzialności, lecz na wspieraniu jej funkcji opiekuńczej wobec seniorów przy pomocy coraz bardziej zróżnicowanych instrumentów polityki publicznej.

The article offers,conclusions for the ageing policy in terms of forms of satisfying the care needs of seniors, following a diagnosis which shows the possibilities for older people in Poland to obtain social support. The authors discuss selected results of the Polish national gerontological study PolSenior2, including in particular: family resources of older people, which they can use when they need support, the level of meeting the caring needs of seniors and the care gap. Based on the results of empirical research and the analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functioning of care institutions, the authors formulate recommendations on the process of deinstitutionalisation of care services in Poland. They indicate that the family model of care for older people, which prevails in Poland, is conducive to deinstitutionalisation, but the process must not consist in shifting more and more responsibility onto the family and should instead support its care role towards seniors with the help of increasingly diverse instruments of public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality; however, data suggest that in old age, obesity is not detrimental. The study's objective was to verify whether obesity frequency still increases in Polish Caucasian seniors and to verify the "obesity paradox". Five thousand and fifty-seven community-dwelling individuals aged ≥ 65 years completed a detailed medical questionnaire, underwent measurements of the body mass index (BMI) and the waist circumference (WC), and an evaluation of physical and cognitive performances. Over a decade, general obesity increased by 2.1%, mostly due to a 3.9% increase in men. Abdominal obesity increased by 1.0%, mainly due to males, in whom it increased by 3.9%. Obesity increased the risk of several aging-related diseases, but this effect was less pronounced in the oldest-old. Obesity did not adversely affect the physical and cognitive functioning or mortality. Through a multivariable analysis, the BMI and WC remained the independent predictors of the Katz Activities of Daily Living score (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively) and Mini-Mental State Examination score (both p < 0.001). The Kaplan–Meier survival curves revealed that overweight and obesity classes 1 and 2 were associated with the lowest mortality. Through a multivariable analysis, overweight, class 1 obesity, and abdominal obesity remained the independent predictors of a decreased mortality (all p < 0.001). In conclusion, we found that overweight and obesity are not detrimental in seniors, including the oldest-old. We suggest that the anthropometric values defining obesity should be modified for age-advanced people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Healthy ageing (HA) is a key concept and highly desirable phenomenon in every ageing and already old societies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of socio-economic conditions as well as life-style and other health-related factors on the WHO definition of HA. Design, Setting, Participants: The study used cross-sectional data of the PolSenior Project — nationwide research evaluating different aspects of ageing in Poland — which included 4'653 respondents aged 65 years and over. Measurements: Data were collected by trained interviewers in respondents' homes. Three definitions of HA including or not the participants' chronic conditions were analyzed. Results: The prevalence of HA appeared as high as 17.6% if none or 1 chronic disease was present and 42.8% if no information about chronic diseases was taken into account. The association between known health predictors (age, marital status, education, income) and HA was observed. Moreover, HA appeared in relation with indicators of physical functioning and lifestyle. There was a strong concordance between HA and the fair self-rated health (OR = 1.87; 1.99, and 2.74 for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd definitions, respectively) and opposite relation with self-reported need for help (OR = 0.15; 0.15; and 0.13, respectively). Conclusions: The HA definition based on no functional activity limitations, no cognitive impairment, no depressive symptoms, no more than one disease and being socially active seems to be a useful approach of HA.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Cataract is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness among older adults worldwide, that can be corrected through surgical interventions. However, diagnosis and treatment bias can be observed, and it is a major issue for improving health policies. Therefore, we assessed a declared prevalence of cataract and the frequency of surgical treatment of this condition in the Polish population in the years 2009-2019. To provide evidence of health inequalities, we compared operated and non-operated seniors using selected socioeconomic factors and identified variables affecting the availability of cataract surgery services over a 10-year follow-up period., Methods: An analysis based on a survey among 4,905 participants of the nationwide PolSenior study conducted in 2008-2009, and 5,031 participants of PolSenior2 conducted one decade later to assess the health of Poles over 65 years of age., Results: Cataract diagnosis was declared by 25.5 and 28.2% of the study population in PolSenior and PolSenior2 surveys, respectively. Out of those diagnosed with cataract in PolSenior, 46.5% underwent surgical treatment for at least one eye. This rate increased up to 67.9% in the survey conducted 10 years later. Independent factors increasing the chance for cataract surgery in both cohorts included male sex and age > 75 years. Additional factors were self-reported good health status in PolSenior and lack of financial problems in purchasing medicines in PolSenior2. Over the investigated decade, the chances for cataract surgical treatment increased in single-living and widowed patients. The shortage of funds for medications remained the only significant barrier for surgery., Conclusion: Although the prevalence of cataract in the older adult population in Poland has not changed from 2009 to 2019, the rate of cataract surgeries has considerably increased over the analyzed decade. Patients with lower socioeconomic status and women have lower access to surgical cataract management., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lange, Kujawska-Danecka, Wyszomirski, Suligowska, Lange, Raczyńska, Jędrychowska-Jamborska and Mossakowska.)

This article describes the family situation and caretaking needs of elderly people in the light of the quantitative research results. The author introduces various aspects of senior citizens family conditions in Poland, including their marital status, generational composition of families and their living situation. The next part of the article is devoted to caretaking needs. As the elderly people need help with their everyday activities, the author discusses the following issues: indicators of caretaking needs, size of the population that requires an assistance, role of family and state institutions in that respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypharmacy is a challenging issue in geriatrics. The aim of the study was to characterize correlates of polypharmacy in the PolSenior project. The PolSenior project, was a comprehensive survey in a large and longitudinal representative sample of thePolish older population. The project was conducted by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw between 2008 and 2011. All medications consumed during the week preceding the survey were evaluated for each participant (n = 4793, including 2314 females (48.3%)). Thereafter, the percentage of those with polypharmacy (at least 5 medications) and excessive polypharmacy (at least 10 medications) was calculated, and their correlates were determined. The average number of medications used by participants was 5.1 ± 3.6, and was higher in females than in males (5.5 ± 3.5 vs. 4.8 ± 3.5; p < 0.001). Polypharmacy characterized 2650 participants (55.3%) and excessive polypharmacy-532 of them (11.1%). The independent correlates associated withpolypharmacy were: age over 70 years, female sex, higher than primary education, living in an urban area, comorbidities, any hospitalization during past five years, and visiting general practicioners at least yearly. As for correlates with excessive polypharmacy, they were: age 80-84 years, female sex, living in an urban area, diagnosis of at least four chronic diseases, and at least two hospitalizations in the last five years. This study serves as a starting place to understand patient characteristics associated with polypharmacy, excessive polypharmacy, and identify targeted interventions.