Development of medical competence of adults on the example of the project activity of the third age university in Slovakia

The article offers a theoretical reasoning for the role of non-formal education in the development of medical competence of the elderly in "refugee" target category. The objectives of the study are to describe the functioning of the third age university for refugees in Slovakian humanitarian center and to determine the trends in the development of medical competence of the elderly. The peculiarities of creation of a third age university for elderly Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia are revealed. The educational process in this institution of non-formal education was analyzed, the subjects of the educational modules were characterized. It was found that the activity of the third age university is due to the combination of the implementation of two projects: the VEGA Project of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Slovak Republic No 1/0293/21 "Education for Adult Population Health" (2022–2023) and "Social and Psychological Assistance for Children and Adults" Project of the independent public association "League for Mental Health" ("Liga za Zuzlené Zdravie" of Bratislava, Slovakia). It has been proven that the implementation of measures to develop medical competence of the elderly contributes to the development and spreading information on the health of the population during large-scale negative events in society. The following trends in the development of medical competence of the elderly as a category of adults are specified: working-out special strategies for the development of medical competence in health care system; introducing the basics of medical literacy as training courses in non-formal adult educational institutions; promoting digital literacy of the elderly. Further research includes developing concept and modeling the activities of the third age universities for IDPs in Ukraine, as well as research on ideas of the promising European experience in the functioning of these educational institutions for the adult population