Social Challenges and Social Gerontology Competencies: The Case of Slovenia

Abstract

The trend toward an aging population observed in Slovenia is one of the major problems in common with more developed countries within the European Union, which will certainly increase in the future. With the help of qualitative analysis, we observed and made selections for the most (1) needed, (2) desired, and (3) obtained Social Gerontology competencies for higher education institutions. With the data analysis, we performed descriptive indicators to prepare a suggested instrument that will help HEIs in the placement of appropriate competencies in educational programs. This will also help young people work with the elderly and in future enrolment. The measurements indicate how the opinion of our respondents intersects with 40 national factors recognized by gerontological social workers. With the meta-analysis, we extract ten factors. This was the prerequisite for a new methodological instrument that showed frequencies that are proportional to the importance perceived by our respondents.

doi:10.5671/ca.46.4.7