BackgroundThe ageing of population is the reason that there are various strategies developed to help seniors acquire greater independence and a better quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the elderly peope’s need for assistance and assessed quality of life.Material/MethodsThe study included 100 participants who were members of a Seniors Club in Poznań, Poland. The cross-sectional study utilized the following instruments: Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), EASY-Care Standard 2010 questionnaire, (WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire.ResultsMembers of the Seniors’ Club showed good functional condition. In the AMTS test, they scored near maximum values (average 9.39±0.77 points), somewhat poorer results were found in the IADL scale (average 20.92±3.96 points). In the EASY-Care questionnaire, the study participants usually required partial support in the following areas: Mental health and well-being (59%), Staying healthy (29%), Getting around (22%), and Seeing, hearing and communicating (22%). The average score on Independence was 13.13±18.51, The risk of breakdown in care scale was 4.39±3.21. The risk of falls affected 21 participants (21%). Quality of life study using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire found that the highest scores were achieved in Psychological and Environment domains, and the lowest score in the Physical health domain.ConclusionsQuality of life as well as level of independence, risk of falls, and need for 24-hour care were significantly affected by the following factors: urinary incontinence, difficulties in mobility outside the home, despondency, and forgetfulness.

The main aim of this article is to identify and assess changes in housing poverty in the European Union (EU) in 2005 and 2013 in the context of cohesion policy. In he study of spatial differentiation of housing poverty, a synthetic measure was used. It was created with support of the TOPSIS standard method (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution). The article is prepared on the basis of statistical data from the EU-SILC surveys. The study shows that in 2013 compared to 2005, there was a significant reduction in housing poverty, especially in the EU countries which in 2005 were characterized by the highest level of poverty. However, in Romania and Latvia, high level of poverty was still maintained, particularly in comparison with the countries of Western Europe.

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The aim of the article was to assess housing conditions of population in rural areas in the provinces in Poland in the years 2007-2016 and to analyse changes taking place in this period and the scale of disproportions between regions. The research was dynamic and concerned the verification of the research hypothesis assuming that the level of housing conditions of the population in rural areas in Poland in the voivodship system is equalizing. In order to assess the level and changes of the studied complex phenomenon, one of the relative taxonomy methods was used, in dynamic terms, which is based on the construction of a medium-based synthetic meter. This method not only allows you to classify units in a given period but above all, it allows to observe changes in the value of a synthetic variable over time, wherein the construction of a synthetic feature is based on the relativistic values of diagnostic features. The research was based on data from the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office in Poland. Only in the group of provinces where housing conditions in rural areas at the beginning of the research period (in 2004) were assessed as high compared to other provinces (relative class I) some convergence in the studied phenomenon in 2004-2016 was observed. Among 8 provinces , which in 2004 were characterized by a relatively low and average lower level of housing conditions in rural areas (relative classes II and III), we can talk about increasing the disproportions within the classes distinguished in 2004-2016. At the same time, however, the synthetic assessment of housing conditions in 5 provinces from classes II and III improved and approached the level of provinces from class I in the analyzed period and only only in 3 provinces this rating has deteriorated. The results of the research allowed only a partial confirmation of the research hypothesis.