SUPPORTING ACTIVITY OF OLDER ADULTS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES: EUROPEAN CHALLENGES.

The number of older adults is increasing in all European countries and these tendencies are also noticeable in Poland. Older adults are a group with substantial intellectual and social potential that can be used in many areas. The precondition for successful ageing is to maintain a good psychophysical status through participation in various forms of activity. With respect to the activity theory, the gerontologists emphasize that each human, even at older age, needs to be active and to feel needed while lost social roles can be compensated by various forms of activity and involvement. Many cities in Poland are engaged in the initiatives aimed at older adults and implement local programs of activation and support for this group of citizens. The focus of the study was on the forms of support for activities of older adults in the urban environment of Częstochowa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]