Although Slovenia is becoming an aging society, very little is known about the abilities and needs of home-dwelling older people or their preferences regarding assistance. The aim of the study was to explore the need for assistance in daily activities among older Slovenian people living at home. Older adults aged between 65 and 97 years (N = 358) participated in the cross-sectional survey study. A questionnaire that assessed independence in daily activities and assistance in the home environment was developed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a nonparametric test (Wilcoxon signed rank test), and the chi-square test. The results showed that older Slovenians were more independent in activities of daily living (ADLs) than instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Independence was the highest for using the toilet, feeding, and mobility transfers, and the lowest for bathing. With IADLs, assistance was most often required with shopping and housework; this assistance was usually provided by family members. The provider of assistance was generally compatible with older people’s preferences concerning assistance at home. We found no differences in care preferences between urban and rural settings. Assistance in the home environment was predominantly provided by unpaid helpers, which reflects recent developments in health and social services that put an emphasis on a person’s social network. Due to demographic changes and the decrease in the number of adult children, reliance on close relatives might soon become a challenge. These findings can help policy makers understand older people’s choices and preferences better when planning long-term care.

The care of older adults who wish to spend their old age at home should be regulated in every country. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the steps for developing a community-based care process model (CBCPM), applied to a real-world phenomenon, using an inductive, theory-generative research approach to enable aging at home. The contribution to practice is that the collaboration team experts facilitate the application of the process in their own work as non-professional human resources. This means that each older adult is his or her own case study. Different experts and non-experts can engage in the process of meeting needs as required. The empirical work examined the number of levels and steps required and the types of human resources needed. The proposed typology of the CBCPM for older adults can provide insight, offer a useful framework for future policy development, and evaluate pilots at a time when this area of legislation is being implemented.

Weakening of the respiratory muscles in patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) threatens them with respiratory failure. The respiratory capacity of these patients is estimated by pulmonary functional tests. One of the most frequently used tests is the measurement of vital capacity (VC) and determination of the percentage share of the VC reference value (%VC). Different body parameters such as body height and body weight are used for determining the %VC. It is difficult to measure these parameters in wheelchair-bound NMD patients, especially those in more advanced stages of disease. Another reason for questioning the objectivity of spirometric testing in NMD patients is that many of them manifest severely weakened facial muscles and consequently have trouble with blowing. This article describes alternative testing of respiratory capacity and calculation (mathematical model) of predicted pulmonary functional values that is not based on the body height but on other more objectively measured anthropometrical parameters.

Following literature reviews by Ferguson and Marras (1997) and Rubin (2007), these authors summarised the risk factors for developing LBP in advanced age as being female, having a lower economic standard, lower education, smoking, frail health, physical work, repeated tasks, awkward body postures, lower job satisfaction, depression, spinal structure and visible spinal anomalies.

Drivers suffering from addiction, a disease of the nervous system, or epilepsy are more likely to cause a traffic accident, which is a contribution to the inconclusive findings of previous studies. The multiple reasons for risks of patients suffering from mental and behavioural disorders need to be further investigated.