Geo-Gerontological Observatory: Upper Carniola Region

GEO-GERONTOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY is a new sub-series of the MEORL monograph series, which deal with geographic-gerontological problems and challenges of the modern world.

For the development of modern research on ageing in regions, in the countryside and cities, to support policies and programs, as well as for the practical adaptation of daily operations, the spatial orientation with knowledge of where and how ageing occurs in respective areas, how decision-makers and inhabitants experience it in different places and how it affects our society, local economy and communities, has become of decisive importance.

This book focuses on a newly defined interdisciplinary field of study—geographical gerontology—here proposed to be shortened as GEO-GERONTOLOGY that addresses these issues. In the introduction, the book examines the range and depth of geographical perspectives in gerontology, gives the concepts and approaches used for the study of ageing, age and the older population in relation to space, and then focuses in more detail on one of the Slovenian regions at the NUTS 3 level, in this case mainly the Upper Carniola Region, its municipalities and Local Action Groups. Finally, the current structure of the elderly population and the dispersion of older adults who do not have younger relatives in their households in space is given, which requires additional funds to cover the costs of overcoming distances in the region.

The required capacity of facilities has been calculated, which is necessary for the quality care of elderly citizens in the regions and municipalities. Finally, projections of the demographic and geo-gerontological structures are presented, assuming that there will be no new migrations in the area, which is relatively typical for rural areas. These projections also include predicting the necessary capacities of human resources for the care (nurses and social workers) to serve this population.

This book provides the first foundation of knowledge about the state of the art of geographical gerontology in the Slovenian language, in this case, for Upper Carniola Region.