[Volunteering as a resource for strengthening the mental health of the elderly]

The aging of the population poses to society the problem of finding mechanisms and tools for preserving health, prolonging the active life position of elderly citizens. The article reveals the potential of volunteerism in the system of strengthening the mental health of the elderly. The data obtained in the course of the study indicate that elderly citizens who participate in volunteer activities for a long time and regularly have high and average indicators of resilience, the presence of goals and the meaning of life, evaluate their lives as emotionally saturated, productive, the ability of elderly people to maintain psychological stability in stressful situations and orientation to overcome life difficulties.

[The analysis of problems of supporting long-term nursing of individuals who lost their ability to self-care in Russia]

The article presents results of research study intended for identifying degree of cognitive impairment in elderly citizen residing in conditions of institution of stationary social support. The study was conducted in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation institution of social services. The obtained results confirmed necessity to organize primary preventive work and permitted to test program of correctional classes with elderly people having cognitive impairments. The comparative analysis of results of primary and control diagnostics testifies that efficiency of corrective impact depends on degree of cognitive impairment and beginning time of correctional work. The early correction of cognitive abnormality of light and moderate degree is the most successful. It actualizes issues of timely diagnosis of cognitive abnormalities in elderly people and necessity to develop activities of primary prevention of dementia.