Identification of the needs of the elderly in the area of the Municipality of Ljubljana, 2012

The Faculty of Social Work is a contracting authority for the Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL), due to the need to review the life circumstances of old people and to direct policies and measures in this field, conducted a study on the identification of the needs of old people living in MOL. In the research, the authors followed the categorisation of the needs, which are the result of the research of the needs and life circumstances of the elderly in MOL in the already carried out research into MOL by the FSD. Thus, an indicative insight into the groups or categories of needs of older people, as well as a map of the services or services available to them, has already been given. The authors of the research focused mainly on housing, health and personal well-being, socialising and leisure, personal care, household chores and mobility. The basis of the research was the questionnaire of the Association of Pensioners’ Associations (ZDUS), which was prepared as part of the project to identify the needs of the elderly, but it was subsequently considerably upgraded. This was followed by a survey on the living conditions of older people, their needs for services and the planning of services. The research also covered the life circumstances of the elderly in Ljubljana, which have a significant impact on their needs. These depend not only on personal circumstances, but also on life’s circumstances. The results can be an important basis for proposing policies and services for the elderly or ways of meeting needs, which would benefit both ZDUS and MOL.