Universität Rostock - Research - Research spectrum - Academic profiling - Aging of individuals and society

Models of successful aging – an interdisciplinary challenge

Increasing life expectancy and lower birth rates are profoundly changing the structure of the population. This demographic change is considered as one of the greatest challenges of the modern industrial society. Amongst the consequences are prolongation of the working life, increasing need of long-term care and problems of financing pensions. A life expectancy of 90 years or more puts the present tripartite division of life into the phases of education, employment and leisure time after pension age into question. The importance of education, but also the compatibility of family and work life gain more attention in the discussion. The role of older people in society is also changing. In the future their activities go far beyond family and friends. Their contribution towards the whole wellbeing of society will be requested more than today.

Central social aim is to make an independent and selfdetermined life in old age possible, in full health and with full participation in society. The Department Aging of individuals and society is researching solutions for this – within the fields of medical health care and therapy forms, in the area of social structures and in reference to technical systems of assistance. An interdisciplinary research is a prerequisite to this process. Only by doing this, it is possible to holistically examine the medical, social and humanitarian aspects together with the engineering science and to understand their interaction.

Please find more information at the website of the department http://www.inf.uni-rostock.de/departments/erfolgreich-altern/.