Technik für soziale Teilhabe bei Sehbehinderung im Alter

Patterns of morbidity and health care needs are changing as the proportion of the population reaching old age increases. A particular challenge to the health care system results from coexisting health problems (multimorbidity) among the elderly. Regarding prevention and treatment goals, the focus needs to shift from disease-specific outcomes to function in daily life and subjective outcome dimensions, such as self-determination (autonomy), social participation, and quality of life. Health research faces the task of developing prevention and health care models adapted to the needs of specific subgroups of older people. Strengthening personal, social, and organizational resources is crucial. This requires precise knowledge about the development, course, and main determinants of disease processes based on observational epidemiological studies. Strategies need to be tested in intervention and evaluation studies with respect to efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency. A targeted research funding program "Health in older age" was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and is currently funding six multimorbidity research consortia, which are briefly presented here.

Blindness and visual impairment in Germany and the Western world will increase further over the coming years and decades. This is primarily due to current demographic trends leading to increased visual impairment, mainly in the elderly. In Germany the current situation of the blind and visually impaired is less well documented than in other European countries. The impact of this development can be differentiated into individual and societal dimensions, of which quality of life, morbidity, mortality, and cost are the best-documented aspects. Because of the socioeconomic and cultural importance of vision in Western society, the negative effects of an increase in blindness and visual impairment in a continuously aging population are considerable. Healthcare policy makers need to consider this when discussing future planning and resource allocation. Preventive and rehabilitative services should be given a much higher priority.