quality of life

This paper aims to lay the foundation for constructing an educational gerontology and thus, it examines in further depth the specialisation of education sciences related to social and demographic changes in advanced societies, the institutionalisation of ongoing education, increasing life expectancies, the existence of seniors as an important and significant social group, the growing body of research on the status of this social collective, the proliferation of educational experiences with seniors, the progressive systematisation of reflection on senior education, etc.
In short, it addresses the institutionalisation of an educational gerontology that reinforces the concept of education as capable of being transformative, enabling autonomy and turning old age from a period of decline and dependence into a challenging and productive period and that, above all, improves quality of life.

 

Key Words: Education, aging, seniors, quality of life, educational gerontology

 

Quality of life is a challenge for individuals and for society in general, since it defines certain fundamental elements of life in society that must be taken into account when establishing our common welfare as human beings.

Physical education is a highly efficacious pedagogical instrument for developing healthy patterns of conduct to favour greater quality of life. It must be performed regularly and systematically for the health benefits it gives, as it permits one to face life, and living together in society in general, with a positive attitude. In short, physical exercise should be regarded as a form of culture that should be incorporated in daily life, especially in view of the fact that human nature is dynamic.

 

Key Words: quality of life, physical education, health, lifestyles

This article is a consequence of an empirical research about the association between psychological and social variables and adherence to treatment in HIV infected patients. We present here theoretical conclusions infered from the empirical data and the literature about this topic.

The discussion is about four subjects: what counseling means in clinical practice, the necessary conditions for behavior change, the improvement of the physician-patient relationship, and the interaction between mind and body. In the last years, many articles in scientific medical journals have focused on such topics, however, it lacks a theoretical framework evolved trough behavioral research in social sciences. The goal of this paper is to encourage researchers and clinicians to give as much attention to these aspects in the face of serious illness as they do to the treatment of biological symptoms. The result will be a better adherence and quality of life by the patients.

 

Key words: counseling, patients’ education, HIV, psychological and social variables, physician-patient relationship, psychoneuroimmunology, adherence, quality of life.