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JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

the idea of active ageing. This idea was fully accepted and
substituted the prevailing attitude to older people as object of
protection. Documents such as The Strategy of active ageing
(Stratégia aktívneho starnutia) and The Action plan of fulfilling
the strategy of active ageing (

Akčný plán napĺňania stratégie

aktívneho starnutia) were created within the national project
Strategy of active ageing  (Stratégia aktívneho starnutia). “They
were aimed at detailed analysis of connections between the
demographic ageing, the labour market and the retirement
system. They were based on the analytical work of experts
dealing with demographic, legal and sociological aspects of the
given problematic area” (Bútorová et al., 2013b, p. 13). They
also created an additional document to this Strategy of active
ageing - The national programme of active ageing for the years
2014 - 2020 (Národný program aktívneho starnutia na roky
2014 – 2020). In its introduction there is stated that “this is a
new and comprehensive programme document aimed at
supporting of human rights of older people with their active
approach by means of public supportive politics. It does not deal
only with the employment and employability of older people
(the Strategy of active ageing primarily focuses on this area), but
also with the area of supporting their lifelong education, civic
and social activities excluded from the formal labour market,
independence, dignity, economic and social security, including
the protection against the bad treatment in all social areas and
relationships” (Národný program aktívneho starnutia na roky
2014 – 2020, 2014, p. 3).

As aforementioned, the topic of active ageing and active old age
is often connected with the  employing of seniors and their
staying at the labour market as long as possible. Here arises a
question related to the role of age management in this social
measure. The age management is understood as managing which
takes into consideration the age and abilities of (ageing)
employees. It focuses on three levels - individual level (a
person), organisational level (a company) and a national or
regional level (society) (Cimbálníková et al., 2011, p. 4;
Cimbálníková et al., 2012, p. 34). T. Saarelma-Thiel (2011, pp.
15 – 16) describes a model connecting the typical critical
changes at workplace from the long-term perspective with
supporting managing measures (examples of good practice).
This model consists of the following phases of working life: 1.
getting used to the working life - a student becomes an
employee, 2. promotion, 3. coping with the change in working
ability - a healthy employee gets ill, 4. career at the crossroad -
the risk of unemployment, change or loss of work,
dissatisfaction with work, 5. leaving the labour market - the
right time and way of leaving from work. Z. Bútorová et al.
(2013a, p. 4) say that “two types of reforms, positive and
negative reforms, are applied in order to introduce the strategy of
active ageing. The positive reform means a complex support of
the model of working ability for all generations. The negative
reform is based on the prolonging of the age limit for the
retirement and restriction of possibilities of the pre-retirement”.
From their research (Bútorová et al., 2013a, p. 8, 18) it is evident
that the ambition to learn new things, or further education
belong to the important general requirements of employers for
their employees. Employees from the age group of 50 - 64 have
a negative attitude to their own further education. It is a fact that
in Slovakia is a lack of financial support to motivate people to
further education. At the same time, the amount of money for
lifelong education is decreasing with the increasing age of
employees (Bútorová et al., 2013a, p. 19). Therefore, it is
important to answer the question how we can support the idea or
the general social tendency of active ageing and preparation for
active old age by means of education.

1.2 Relationship between active ageing, active old age
    and social inclusion of older adults and seniors
    from the educational point of view

Nowadays, the concept of educational and social inclusion (e.g.
Lechta, ed., 2012; Kusá et al., 2008; Gerbery, Porubänová,
Repková, 2005;

Národný akčný plán sociálnej inklúzie 2004 –

2006, 2004, etc.), is a frequently discussed topic, problem or
challenge. In the specialised literature, the social inclusion is

defined as “a process that guarantees that socially excluded
people or people at the risk of being socially excluded have an
access to such opportunities which help them to fully participate
in the economic, social and cultural life. It also enables them to
live in a way that is considered to be normal by the given
society” (Kusá et al., 2012, p. 8). Social inclusion is often
connected with the problem of poverty (e.g.

Národný akčný plán

sociálnej inklúzie 2004 – 2006, 2004; Gerbery, Porubänová,
Repková, 2005; Kusá et al., 2012). However, the practice
confirms the fact that also adults in the pre-retirement age and
mainly seniors are often at the risk of being socially excluded
(compare, e.g. § 2, part 2, letter e) of the Law no. 448/2008
Codex of Law about social services subsequently amended.
Regarding the question of employment compare also
Cimbálníková et al., 2011; Vaska, 2014; Law no. 5/2004 Codex
of Law about services of employment subsequently amended).
On the other hand, the National action plan of social inclusion
2004 - 2006 (2004, pp. 9 – 12) states that other primary groups
of population are at bigger risk of poverty and social exclusion
(e.g. unemployed people, families with children, Roma
population, disabled people, migrants, homeless people, etc.).

L. Cimbálníková et al. (2011, p. 38) say (in the context of the
age management topic) that social inclusion is rather “a current
phenomenon of the state’s social politics”, whereas social
exclusion “tends to be nonrecurring in many cases and it is very
often irreversible.

The reason of the majority of cases of

exclusion is the insufficient economic, social and cultural
capital”.

Adult individuals, who are before reaching the retirement age
and real leaving from the working life, as well as retired seniors
can have an active or passive attitude to their own ageing and old
age. They can have different motivation for such behaviour.
However, it would be beneficial for these pre-retired people and
seniors, and indirectly also for the whole society, if older adults
chose the alternative of active ageing and seniors active living of
the old age, taking into consideration their own real possibilities
and limitations.

Education with different focusing (e.g. cultural-educational,
social-educational and professional focusing

) is one of suitable

tools that can help people to get older (compare, e.g. Aktiv
Altern: Rahmenbedingungen und Vorschläge für politisches
Handeln, 2002, pp. 28 – 29) and live the senior age in an active
way. However, we think that active ageing and active living are
also connected with the social involvement of older adults and
seniors. This can prevent their social exclusion and other
undesirable forms of behaviour. For this reason, in our study we
were also dealing with the relationship between the (pre-senior,
pro-senior and senior

) education, active ageing, active old age

and social inclusion of older adults and seniors.

Picture 1: Mutual relationship between social inclusion, active
ageing, active old age and education

SOCIAL INCLUSION

OF OLDER ADULTS AND SENIORS

ACTIVE AGEING                                          PRE-SENIOR,
AND ACTIVE                                                PRO-SENIOR
OLD AGE

AND SENIOR

EDUCATION

Source:author’s own adaptation

Mentioned division of the subject of geragogy, or focusing of education from the

point of view of specializing aspects of andragogy is offered in the work by R.

Čornaničová (1998, p. 124).

The quoted division of the subject of geragogy, or education from the point of view

of its generation - target orientation is mentioned by

R. Čornaničová (1998, p. 124).

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