AbstractIT can facilitate communication among individuals and connect people across geographical distances. On the contrary, citizens of the society who do not use communication technologies to some extent might feel excluded from the information society. As elderly citizens are already in a vulnerable position for the digital divide, communication technology becomes an important tool for interacting with friends and family. The social situation of elderly, 60 years of age and older, is a topic of current interest since they are the fastest growing age group in the world today. Further, social interaction becomes more important among elderly since it has a positive effect on well- being.

As the population of senior citizens increase, various housing options are required for an increasing competitive environment within elderly care. This study addresses the concept of profile housing for the elderly by outlining its definition and providing options for the different kinds of housing options available within the municipalities of Stockholm and Solna. The study reveals that these locations have different definitions of what constitutes a profile home. Based on this, should one assume there are further definitions to cover additional municipalities?     This study also touches upon how a group of senior citizens would perceive their living conditions if relocated into such housing. Members of the group have also expressed that they would like to go about their daily activities as they have prior to being relocated. They want health professionals to enable and encourage participation in various daily activities..

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether an increasing amount of elderly immigrants will set new demands upon the public eldercare. The focus is on the officials whithin the public care of elderly in Västra Götaland district, and their experiences. A second purpose of this study is to add the experiences of the officials to former research treating the topic of elderly immigrants and their experiences of the public eldercare in Sweden.The survey has been carried out through interviewing all together seven officials working within the public care of elder in varying districts of Västra Götaland. The interviews have later been summoned under four different themes such as, ?Culture, customs and tradition?, ?Interaction and communication?, ?Information? and ?The future of the public eldercare?.The study indicates that our result based on the interviews, is in several references corresponding to former research on the topic.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between the elderly at a retirement home and their professional caretakers with focus on the perspective of the elderly. Chosen method, a qualitative interview analysis has been conducted to describe how the relationship affects the elderly in their everyday lives. The total amount of interviews were four. The relationship between the elderly and their professional caretakers has rarely been examined in previous research from an elder?s perspective.The results indicate that the elderly often are satisfied with the way the professional caretakers treat them.

The aim of this literature review was to put together scientific knowledge about the need of sexuality among elderly people, so that the nurse in the future can use this knowledge in nursing. The research questions that will be answered are: In what extent do elderly people have the need to experience sexuality? In what extent do elderly people have the possibility to practice their sexuality? In what degree do the nursing staff respect and understand elderly people's need of sexuality? How can nursing staff support elderly people in their sexuality? The method used to answer the research questions was analysis and interpretation of ten scientific articles. The results, which are presented within ten categories, shows that elderly people have a need of sexuality. Loneliness, lack of privacy and knowledge and attitudes are factors that affect elderly people's possibility to express their sexuality.

The aim of this essay was to describe and interpret the managements and organizations impact regarding the caregivers working conditions. To examine this we used a qualitative method. We completed two group interviews and five individual interviews with a total of fifteen enrolled nurses that worked within elderly care. In our interviews we found that the enrolled nurses felt that the organizations economic interests collided with their personal values regarding good quality elderly care. We also found that the caregivers experienced that they had an impact on their working conditions and that their employer was the main reason for making it possible..

AbstractThe aim of this study was to highlight who represents elderly immigrants and apply the theory of social exclusion. We chose channels for representation that we found important in relation to this group. The first part is a study of available litterature of the subject. We found three main arenas: participation in elections, participation in associations and clubs and representation in political institutions. The findings showed a democratic deficit among elderly immigrants, which gave an indication of social exclusion from the political arena and from participation in associations.For the second part we decided to concentrate on the arena of participation in associations and clubs that represent the elderly and/or immigrants.

Portable IT devices such as laptops, smart phones and computer tablets are becoming ever more ubiquitous. At the same time, the population of the Western world is growing older, with aging bringing about changes with regards to individuals' physical and mental capabilities. These facts raises important questions about how well suited these devices are for use by elderly people. This study focuses on the cognitive aspects of the devices' usability, using the concept of mental models to analyze the users' understanding of a computer tablet. It also draws upon theory of graphical user interfaces in its analyses.

The purpose of this thesis is to gain a better understanding of how elderly people seek and use information in everyday situations. A further aim is to suggest ways for the library to offer more services specifically tailored for pensioners. This is an important topic as pensioners are a rapidly growing group of library users. We conducted qualitative interviews with four elderly people concerning their information needs in everyday life, and discovered that they rarely use the library, preferring instead to get their information from various internet sites and their pensioners? organisation.

The essay deals with questions concerning the reasons, difficulties and subjects for rejoicing which various people experience when visiting "voluntarily" old, lonely people in the congregation of Trollhättan. What knowledge is developed and which values are formed? How is aging and solitude experienced? The visits are co-ordinated by two lay workers employed by the Swedish Church. The study is built on oral interviews in April and May 2003 from a questionaire using open questions. The research group consists of six women between 65-80 of age with 1-30 years´ experience.Inner reasons, contact with other people in similar situations, positive responses to visits, and meetings in the visiting service group seem to be the principal driving forces.

Background: More than half of the elderly (65-84 years) in Sweden have problems with hearing. In some studiesit?s discussed if age related hearing loss or presbyacusis is a part of natural aging or if it depends on underlyingfactors.The purpose of this literature study was to analyse scientific papers which illustrate correlations between lessknown underlying factors and presbyacusis, defined from psychoacoustic and/or neurofysiological tests.Material and method; Literature study where scientific papers, relevant to the purpose of the study and thequestions at issue were found in the database PubMed.The result shows that cardiovascular disease, hormones, diet and drugs have an influence on presbyacusis. Thehealth condition of the individual and their lifestyle matters, likewise estrogen which according to the results of 2studies has a protective effect on hearing.Conclusion; The studies show that heart attack and high systolic blood pressure in women have a correlation topresbyacusis, but not in men, - the hormone estrogen, - some vitamins, antioxidants and diet have a protectiveeffect on hearing and studies show that smoking and alcohol have negative effects..

This study is based on interviews with four managers in public elderly care and four managers in private elderly care. The aim of this paper is to examine how these managers are experiencing their leadership in relation to conflict management, and if the managers leadership differs depending on private or public elderly care. Leadership and conflict management are theories that have been used in order to analyze the empirical findings. Previous research that has been used in the study concerns ?leadership/leadership styles?, ?conflict management?, ?to be active in the private/public elderly care?.

The purpose of this study has been to examine how elderly people in today?s society look upon themselves and experience their own aging. We have inquired answers to the following main questions: What main events during the life course are emphasized in the elderly?s stories about their lives, and in what way has it affected their experience of growing old? In what way have social relationships, interests and the experience of health changed during the life course? How do the elderly experience their own aging, and what emotions are expressed in the speech surrounding their life course? The results of the study have been analyzed and interpreted with the help of the life course theory, Erikson?s psychosocial development theory and the continuity theory. The results show that elderly people of today don?t feel their age.

This study is based on interviews with four managers in public elderly care and four managers in private elderly care. The aim of this paper is to examine how these managers are experiencing their leadership in relation to conflict management, and if the managers leadership differs depending on private or public elderly care. Leadership and conflict management are theories that have been used in order to analyze the empirical findings. Previous research that has been used in the study concerns ?leadership/leadership styles?, ?conflict management?, ?to be active in the private/public elderly care?.

Studies show that 10-15 percent of Sweden's population, 65 years or older are estimated to have depression or depression symptoms. The symptoms of depression among elderly people are less than symptoms of young people. This could cause that elderly people with depression are not always discovered. Studies show that elderly people who live in residential homes show more signs of depression than elderly people living at home. If elderly people live in a supporting environment, can it prevent that a depression developed.The prevention of depression among elderly people is a topic that is not discussed among previously research.