title: Elderly Peoples' Perception of Young People - A Preliminary Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aging is becoming a more noticeable phenomenon in Poland and Europe. We analysed the perception of youth by elderly and compared attitudes of students of the University of the Third Age (SU3A) with nursing homes residents (NHR) to young people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our questionnaire was distributed to 140 people over the age of 50 (70 SU3A and 70 NHR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  85.0% of all respondents answered positively to the question "Do you enjoy contact with young people?", even though their contacts are usually limited and mostly confined to a few s a year. Vast majority of NHR (62.9%) and almost half SU3A (48.6%) believe that there is a need to integrate seniors and youth to achieve mutual benefits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young people would benefit from the life experience of the elderly; the elderly could become more active in many areas of life.
authors.affiliation: 1. Dept. of Integrated Medical Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cybulski
authors.affiliation: 1. Dept. of Integrated Medical Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krajewska-Kułak
authors.affiliation: 2. Dept. of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sowa
authors.affiliation: 3. Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orzechowska
authors.affiliation: 1. Dept. of Integrated Medical Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Damme-Ostapowicz
authors.affiliation: 1. Dept. of Integrated Medical Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rozwadowska
authors.affiliation: 1. Dept. of Integrated Medical Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guzowski
keywords: Aging; Elderly; Nursing home; Youth