The results of “Social Inclusion of the Elderly (65+) in Serbia” research , conducted by the SeConS Development Initiative Group within the project coordinated by the Red Cross of Serbia, were presented in Media Center in Belgrade. The research provides a systematic overview of the position of elderly in Serbia and the challenges they face in achieving a quality life in the third era, according to several dimensions:
- financial situation and material well-being;
- access to important resources and services (health and social protection, housing, transport, access to public space, access to new technologies);
- social participation and social networks;
- quality of life and subjective well-being.
The research results were presented by Marija Babović, director of programme at SeConS and Katarina Veličković and Stefan Stefanović, reaserhers at SeConS.
The study found that a significant number of older men and particulary women did not meet their health needs in 2015, while 8% of men and 17% of women aged 65 and over do not receive any pension. Elderly in Serbia are significantly more materially deprived than their peers living in the EU28. Severe material deprivation affects particularly older women. For example, almost a third of older women (65+) do not have two pairs of shoes. Elderly people in Serbia rarely use information technology, and almost in two thirds of households they live alone or with their husband/wife. Older women are more likely than men to live in single households.
