QUALITY OF AGING OF SENIORS LIVING IN THE CITIES OF THE SILESIAN CONURBATION

Background
Seniors’ quality of aging has become the subject of many studies in recent years. This is related to the progressive aging of societies. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of aging of seniors living in the cities of the Silesian conurbation.

Material and methods
436 seniors from Silesian conurbation cities were surveyed, including 340 (77.98%) attending the Universities of the Third Age (UTA) classes and 96 (22.02%) not attending. The research tool was the original questionnaire supplemented with the standardized SAI questionnaire.

Results
The successful aging rate in the group of seniors participating in the UTA classes was slightly higher (11.75) than in the group of seniors not participating (11.43). They also most often assessed their health condition as good and declared an active way of spending their free time. Those who did not participate assessed their health as average and declared a passive way of spending free time. Seniors of both groups were independent in performing everyday activities, meeting family and friends and were systematically examined. Most of the surveyed seniors attended the cinema/theater or museum several times a year, over half consumed alcohol and over one third used tobacco.

Conclusions
The quality of aging of the surveyed seniors living in the cities of the Silesian conurbation was good. Seniors, regardless of attending the UTA classes or not, actively participated in social and cultural life, and were regularly examined, but unfortunately used stimulants.