DIVERSITY AND MENTAL NEEDS AND ACTUALIZATION OF THE ACTIVITY OF OLDER

The fact of human life extension involves more frequent undertaking of this subject by scientific research and social policy. In the literature we can find different age limits which are considered as the beginning of old age; due to the prolonged period of economic activity, it happens that the start of aging falls on the period of retirement. In this stage of life, we can distinguish different changes: biological, cognitive, psychosocial, and family life. Emerging alterations depend largely on individual factors and may have different effects on the seniors functioning. Developmental tasks of this period include: acceptance of aging inevitability, reduction of physical fitness, acknowledgement of own dependence on others, preparation of life balance sheet, control of own mind and keeping it in good health. Therefore, it is important to allow older people to do different forms of activities that will affect their physical and cognitive well-being, and help in maintaining social interactions. The organized forms include: Universities of the Third Age, Volunteering, Senior Clubs, Daily Nursing Homes in which can be implemented, for example, classes of art therapy, occupational therapy, music therapy, and cognitive training. Moreover, look from the intergenerational perspective becomes a source of actions, aiming at cooperation and exchange of experiences between people of different ages. Key words: psychology of human development, aging, biological functioning in late adulthood, psychosocial functioning in late adulthood, developmental tasks, forms of seniors activation, intergenerational cooperation