Social Housing Management in Poland in the Context of Ageing Society. European Experience and Implication for Poland

Abstract

The process of population ageing has a global dimension and constitutes an important challenge for social policy, and in particular for housing policy. Demographic forecasts carried out by Eurostat, World Bank and the UN unanimously predict an increase in the number of the elderly, especially seniors aged 85+. The ageing of Polish society and the implications of the process for the housing sector is a challenge for social policy, which is responsible for creating an enabling environment to meet the needs of older people. Increasing expenditures on care for the elderly points to the need to find appropriate solutions for independent or partially independent seniors living in their own housing environment. The large percentage of Poland's population aged 65 and older requires that housing policy seek solutions for the implementation of housing needs at a level appropriate to the needs of different groups. It is important to discuss the necessity to secure housing needs of the elderly, especially seniors with low level of independence. The development of senior housing, sheltered flats, residential homes and old people's homes could bring a solution to the increasing demographic problem. The discussion concerns the European context and the implications that can be derived for Poland. The dynamic increase in the number of older people in the society is a complicated and relatively new phenomenon in Poland, therefore in the contemporary economic and sociological discourse there is a growing interest in the ways of increasing supply of housing units that meet the needs of the elderly. In the paper the authors describe management of the social housing stock (Lennartz et al., 2012; Czischke, 2012) that addresses the issue of securing housing needs of seniors. The discussion concerns the European context and the implications that can be derived for Poland.

Silver Economy in Rural Development Strategies

“…Note also that rural areas continue to be underdeveloped in many aspects, especially including the service sector which faces extensive opportunities for growth. The services include the construction industry which participates in building protected, well-equipped and dedicated dwellings (Rataj et al, 2017). Although poorly developed in Poland, they can be implemented in rural areas.…”