[Attitude of aged citizens towards old people's homes and veterans' clubs].

This paper presents the results of an empirical survey carried out in order to determine the attitude of people of advanced age towards old peoples' homes and clubs. The authors explain why more efforts should be made to involve people of advanced age in social life, and discuss ways and means of accomplishing this goal. In a socialist society, senior citizens wish to be accepted as persons with a wealth of experience and comprehensive knowledge, they expect to be integrated into social life in an appropriate way. Meaningful activity in old age is a fundamental need for many people of advanced age (Demmler). Our society provides many opportunities for fulfilling this need. One of the basic principles of our society is to enable citizens of pensionable age who wish to go on working, to do so in appropriate conditions and to provide for other forms of activities which have a beneficial effect on the personality. Old peoples' homes and clubs and other social welfare institutions also provide opportunities for manifold activities. A comprehensive network of care for senior citizens has been set up, but in our view it should increasingly be used to cater for meaningful activities in old age and to support the preservation or development of the senior citizens' personality. People of pre-pensionable age (from 55 or 60) should be included in this system. Several social factors influencing the development of the system providing care for people of advanced age, will be described in detail in the following article.