Doprinos civilnog društva kvaliteti života osoba u starijoj životnoj dobi u gradu Zagrebu

Abstract

Demographic ageing is one of the main challenges not only in Europe but also in the world. Croatian society belongs to the group of countries with the highest proportion of elderly people in the population. Elderly people are in multiple vulnerable positions, which significantly affects their quality of life. Since care for the elderly is becoming more and more relevant, the aging of the population is an important issue for social policies. In addition to the state, other stakeholders such as civil society participate in providing care and increasing the quality of life of the elderly population. This paper aims to show the contribution of civil society organizations to the quality of life of the elderly. Qualitative research was conducted, using the method of interviews with key informants (10) from associations in the city of Zagreb that operate in the field of elderly people. Through the framework analysis, six topics were determined, five of which related to the dimensions of the quality of life of the elderly (standard of living, health, functionality, social inclusion, and acess to rights and skills), and the last one to the challenges of organizations in working with the elderly, and the categories and codes presented in work. The research showed that associations, according to the assessments of its employees, through programs and activities in various aspects contribute to the quality of life and have benefits for the elderly. In this regard, civil society can also be recognized as a stakeholder in the welfare mix.