Special geragogy in an aging society – needs and possibilities

Due to progression of European societies’ aging process the need for treatment, rehabilitation and daily care for an increasing population of disabled persons in older age becomes one of the most important social problems. Special pedagogy has the potential to respond to this issue in its scientific, didactic and vocational domain, by recognizing and meeting the specific needs of older adults with disability. Within its specialty – special geragogy – may deal with effective prevention and improvement of functional disorders in older adults and thus contribute to reducing their negative individual and social consequences. Contemporary problems of aging societies requires from special education to include within its interests the issue of disability on every stage of life. The purpose of this article is to justify the need for development of special geragogy in the area of science, education and practice