Kontakt 2012, 14(3):353-361 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2012.037

Adaptation process in ecological perspective of seniorsHealth and Social Sciences - Original article

Jana Levická
Trnavská univerzita v Trnave, Fakulta zdravotníctva a sociálnej práce, katedra sociálnej práce Univerzita Hradec Králové, Ústav sociální práce

Based on the ecological perspective, we can understand sudden changes in the health condition and associated requirements for position in the year-round inclusion of seniors as a situation, in which all the three causes are accumulated referred to by authors as possible reasons for the maladaptation (Germain, Bloom, 1991; Germain, Gitterman, 2011). The examination of effects on the client due to this cluster of causes is tedious, but it is unavoidable. Within the framework of a specific research 5/2011 "Process of adaptation of seniors to their life under the institutional care", I attempted to acquire data which could make it possible not only to improve understanding the client (man or women) in the course of the adaptation process, but also to determine whether the ecological perspective can bring a contribution to better understanding of his/her adaptation process. In my contribution, I mention only partial results of this research project concerning the research examination implemented in institutions for seniors in Slovakia.
Given the target, I chose a qualitative research strategy, particularly design of an illustrative case study (Yin, 2003; Zainal, 2007). In the research work designed in this way, the investigator works with a minimum number of cases examined, which makes him/her possible to consider problems from different points of view. The research sample consisted of two seniors (a men aged 82 years and women aged 76 years), who were clients of the institution and in the course of our research, they were subjected to the adaptation process, two social workers, two nurses and members of families of the seniors. In one case, this was a daughter and son-in-law of the female client, and in the second case, this was a son and grand-daughter of the male client.
The results acquired demonstrated relationships between the social role played by the male senior/female senior in the previous period and success of the adaptation itself. The data obtained simultaneously indicate possibilities brought into the social work practice just by the ecological approach.

Keywords: adaptation process; ecological perspective; qualitative research; seniors; social work

Received: March 22, 2012; Accepted: July 19, 2012; Published: September 27, 2012  Show citation

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Levická J. Adaptation process in ecological perspective of seniors. Kontakt. 2012;14(3):353-361. doi: 10.32725/kont.2012.037.
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