8. International Social and Applied Gerontology Symposium

Dear colleagues and esteemed participants,

Indicators say something else, but the elders seem to be happy with their lives. But let’s not let this deceive us. As stated by Emile Durkheim “Human mind is not reliable; we can get to know the social life only through careful studies” (Diekmann, 2007, 31). Due to this, the changes in the population structure of our country forces us to examine the old-age and the life status of the elders more than ever.

The elders, who become psychological and psychiatric patients, who are excluded from the society and become isolated, may increase. We have to discuss the conditions that increase among the elders, such as alcohol and drug addiction, and suicide, which also are now a reason in Turkey, without tabooing such states.Specifically, the need for care in old-age and generally violence, negligence and abuse in connection with this are the important issues which should be included in the agenda of our country. The condition of the disabled children and young people, who are much in number, as well as the disabled elders is giving the alarm for the future. While searching for a solution for the problems of the old women, it is required to take measures today so that the young women do not end up like their grandmothers.

Since there is no social area which is not influences by these developments, none of the branches of science should exclude itself from such developments. Aging and old-age are multidimensional and complex phenomena. With the medical, psychological and social solutions, old-agecan be relieved from being a stage of life in which many people wait for death, and, with cooperation, can be converted into a stage which is worth living.

While the gradual extension of life time and where this shall end is unknown, today, old-age is a life stage which covers one-third of our lives. A woman having grandchildren at the age of fifty now has more chance to see the marriage of her grandchildren’s children, after raising her grandchildren. Half of the girls who were born in the millennium will be able to see the 22nd century. However, the life time of not only women but also men is also extending with the same speed. In near future, a significant part of our country’s population shall be composed of people over 60 years of age. Based on rough estimations, we have to consider that the number of these people shall exceed 30 million in Turkey in 2050.

Now people are asking themselves how they will age, not how long they will live. The developments such as the facilities provided by modern medicine, healthy diet or spread of hygienic mediums, which positively change the conditions of life, continuously add new years to life. However, aging and life quality in old-age should be our key concepts for the time we achieved to add to life to be a fruitful period. Our aim should be to relieve old-age from poverty, to make it free from diseases and need for care, and to create elders who are active and life-focused. This offer is not only profitable for the individuals but also for the social security systems. As the elders who are sick and need care are reduced, our social expenses shall be reduced and accordingly, the “cashboxes getting empty” shall fill.

On the other hand, international is also among the frequently emphasized issues in the scientific literature, as well as the national influences of demographic aging. The effects, which are negative in general, are gradually getting more apparent, the phenomenon of social aging is becoming a global problem, as well as the economic and political globalization.

VIII. Turkey International Social and Applied Gerontology Symposium, is planned to make the “crying” face of aging laugh in this period in which we are sensing the pressure of the social aging at different planes. VIII. Turkey International Social and Applied Gerontology Symposium is an important feast of science with the participation of many national and international scientists. It is Turkey’s gate opening up to the field of Gerontology. It contributes to the perception of our country’s image and different fields of employment, in addition to its scientific contributions. It not only presents with scientific evidence that old age is a plannable life stage, but also draws the attention to the gerontologic application areas. The purpose is not only to discuss the problems, but also to present the solutions and solve the problems. It is to warn the local and central administrations with respect to the demographic developments for a young and dynamic future and to concretize the desire to transfer information needed in order to produce better social policies.

Aging does not only mean the loss of competence; on the contrary, the aging people need economic, social and psychic experiences and the skills to use these, so that it can be a process which is also connected to their acquisition of competence. Due to this, tabooed issues were also included in addition to the current gerontologic issues in the third symposium organized in 2006, following the symposium in 2005 in which the dimensions such as social, psychological, cultural, medical, media, tourism were discussed. Now, we continue our studies in order to open our doors for the eighth time to the world of Gerontology in 2018.

In this symposium which shall present the continuously changing faces of old-age, we shall try to show that old-age can be a plannable, meaningful life stage with conscious initiatives. While transferring the information about the desire to increase the active, energetic elders who participate in the society and how this can be achieved, we shall not neglect the problems of the old-age. While presenting that the active elders shall increase with the initiatives at different dimensions, we shall not “forget” the special problems of the Alzheimer patients and their caregivers, one of the main problems created by a long life. While drawing the attention to the social, psychological and physical problems, we shall get information about the original theoretical and practical studies of the scientists from different countries in the fields of old-age and aging in this eighth symposium with high level of international recognition.

Our world of science and society is acquiring significant experiences from the traditionalization of this symposium with its vision and mission, which we believe are important for Turkey. I await for your participation in the VIII. Turkey International Social and Applied Gerontology Symposium and present my best regards.

Prof. İsmail TUFAN

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