This holiday was proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) on December 14, 1990. In Russia, the International Day of Older Persons has been celebrated since 1992. The holiday has its own logo: an open palm as a symbol of kindness and help.
The main goals of the holiday are to protect the rights of older people, thank them for everything they have done during their life, draw attention to the problems and difficulties they face. The very existence of this day acts as an impulse to eliminate negative attitudes and combat stereotypes about old age.
This holiday is special for the faculty of social work of KSMU. For such specialists, older people are one of the most numerous categories of clients. For more than ten years the volunteer group of KSMU “Support” has been working with the residents of the Kursk care home for war and labor veterans. For the residents of the care facility, this is an opportunity to receive pleasant emotions and communication.
Our university is actively involved in the implementation of the regional project “Kursk Longevity” aimed at improving the quality of life of older citizens. KSMU has developed a professional retraining program in the specialty “Geriatrics”. This course is taken annually by specialists focused on the needs of elderly patients.
On the basis of the Department of Health Psychology and Neuropsychology, a comprehensive program of neurocognitive restoration of memory function for elderly people, “Laboratory of Memory”, has been developed.
This innovation was awarded the prize of the regional competition “Innovative Idea” in 2020.
Since 2009, the “Age of Wisdom” university has been operating on the basis of KSMU. During this time, about 600 students have been trained there. The project is educational in nature and teaches older citizens the basics of computer literacy, a lecture course on healthy lifestyle and disease prevention is held.
During computer literacy classes, students study operating systems, text programs, rules for working on the Internet, including network security.
The social project implements the tasks of national projects – it includes people of the older generation in the digital space. Students master the skills of working with the portal of public services, GIS Housing and Communal Services, Pension Fund of Russia, etc.
Congratulations to people of wise age on the holiday! Be healthy and energetic!