Activation of resources of older generation citizens - recipients of social services (the expert survey results)

The problem of identification and rational usage of resources of the older generation citizens, primarily aimed at their personal development and increase of feasible social activity in connection with the aging of the population is considered in the paper. In modern social work, the task of activation the resources of recipients of social services is also very significant in order to attract their opportunities for self-help and even mutual assistance. The results of original sociological survey of experts working with citizens of the older generation, what opportunities are available to recipients of social services and how these opportunities can be used for the benefit of the older generation and those around them are presented in the paper. Among the most significant resources experts named: personal potential of a person (good character, strong memory, logical thinking, advanced intelligence, sociability, sense of humor, active life position, positive emotional attitude, learning desire, etc.); relatives and their care of the person of the older generation, his ability to be useful to the closest people; psychosomatic capabilities of a person (good health, preserved hearing and vision, mental safety, genetically inherent longevity, the ability to self-service). To activate these and similar resources, experts have proposed such methods as motivation and persuasion, participation of older generation citizens in the activities of the program “Active longevity”, the organization of other activities that allow these people to feel important. Special attention, as many experts believe, should be paid to the involvement of relatives and friends to activate the resources of the recipients of older generation services.