Social Support for Elderly People on the Example of the “Senior Support Corps” Program Implemented in the Chorzów Commune

Abstract

The article presents the problem of social support, especially its selected aspects (support for seniors in the family), in the seniors’ opinion – participants of the program of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy titled “Senior Support Corps” (including the involvement of volunteers providing help to people in need), implemented in the Chorzów commune in 2022. This problem became an inspiration to conduct qualitative research using a semi-structured interview questionnaire, in which 14 seniors took part. The aim was to assess selected aspects of support under the “Senior Support Corps” program. The main research problem was formulated as follows: What is the assessment of the support received by its participants under the discussed program implemented in the Chorzów commune? Research questions: What types of support are preferred among the surveyed elderly people and how do the respondents evaluate individual types of support under the “Senior Support Corps” program? How do respondents evaluate the work of volunteers under the “Senior Support Corps” program? How do respondents view the continuation of activities under the “Senior Support Corps” program in the coming years? The research shows that elderly people previously struggled with loneliness, a sense of alienation and a lack of interpersonal contacts. Thanks to the help and presence of volunteers, seniors could spend their time actively, talking, walking or integrating together. Providing seniors with support and assistance in everyday activities and facilitating access to basic health care was also important. The participation of the respondents in the program significantly increased their activity, regained their self-confidence and became open to other people. Seniors assessed the services provided by volunteers very highly and unanimously stated that the program should be continued in the coming years as it prevents social isolation and promotes the idea of active aging.