Natasa Todorovic

Population aging and climate change are two long-term processes that increasingly intersect, yet their interrelationship remains insufficiently explored in Southeast Europe. This article examines how adults aged 50+ in Serbia and Bulgaria understand, perceive, and respond to climate risks, with the aim of identifying age-specific vulnerabilities as well as opportunities for climate action. We administered the ClimateMind50+ questionnaire to purposive national samples comprising 309 respondents in Serbia (CAPI, 82 municipalities) and 155 respondents in Bulgaria (CAWI, 74 municipalities). Socio-demographic differences were analyzed using descriptive statistics and χ² tests. The findings indicate moderate levels of self-assessed climate literacy, strong concern about the impacts of climate change on future generations, and heightened anxiety regarding extreme heat and prolonged dry periods. During climate-related emergencies, respondents rely predominantly on family networks rather than local institutions, and overall preparedness for extreme events remains limited. Adaptive and pro-environmental behaviors are modest and vary by gender, education level, and type of settlement. Population aging interacts with socio-economic vulnerability, energy poverty, regional decline, and governance constraints, shaping both exposure to climate risks and the capacity for behavioral adaptation. Climate strategies in both countries should therefore become more age-inclusive and socially responsive, recognizing older adults not only as a vulnerable group but also as active contributors to resilience.

The aim of this research is to shed a light on the dual relationship between older population and climate change in Serbia. On the one hand, there is a (dis)proportional susceptibility of the older population to the various environmental risks due to objective impairments caused by ageing process (physical and cognitive). The heterogeneous characteristics of older population pose an important limiting factor for unilateral practical responses in the case of the environmental hazards, as older population is more vulnerable than other age groups. On the other hand, the rising number of older population can have more pronounced impact on the climate actions and possible mitigation. The paper discusses the nexus of climate change and population ageing through emerging theoretical framework and empirical approach that uses purposive sampling with tailored made survey questions. The questionnaire was design to investigate the perceptions of older population on climate change, their preparedness for extreme weather events and their assessment of innovative strategies for promoting climate awareness. The research is planned to be carried out on more than 100 older adults in various cities in Serbia. The results are expected to reveal how much the older responders are worries about the impact of climate change in actual and future generations, and how much the possibility for different extreme weather events frighten them. Furthermore, the research will cover the anticipated help from others (family, friends, neighbors, medical stuff etc.) in the case of environmental emergency. Additionally, older respondents will be asked about possible lifestyle changes they would adopt as a response to the changing climate. As a conclusion, the paper will address the issues regarding the impact of climate change on older person's life, and maneuvering room when it comes to the better climate awareness among older population.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the complex relationship between the multiple determinants of the caregiving process, the caregiver burden, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a nationally representative sample (n = 798) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia from March to September 2020. A nine-section questionnaire designed for this study included the characteristics of caregivers, characteristics of care and care recipients, COVID-19 related questions, and the following standardized instruments: 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey, Fatigue Severity Scale, Activities of Daily Living Scale and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory. Path analysis was used for the simultaneous assessment of the direct and indirect relationships of all determinants. Results: More than two thirds (71.9%) of informal caregivers experienced a burden, and more than one quarter (27.1%) had depression symptomatology. Self-rated physical health, need for psychosocial support, and caregiver burden were the main direct predictors of depression. Multiple determinants of the caregiving process had indirect effects on depressive symptomatology via the caregiver burden as a mediating factor. Conclusions: The subjective burden presented a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms in caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The provision of psychosocial support was identified as an important opportunity to reduce depressive risk in informal caregivers.

Background and objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented reliance on informal caregivers as one of the pillars of healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life of informal caregivers during the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among informal caregivers during the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia. Physical and mental quality of life was measured by the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Additional data included sociodemographic characteristics, caregiver and care recipient characteristics, and COVID-19 related concerns. The qualitative component was performed using focus groups and individual in-depth interviews. Results: Out of 112 informal caregivers enrolled, most were female (80%), and the average age was 51.1 ± 12.3 years. The majority was delivering care to one person, who was a family member, on a daily basis (86.4%, 92%, and 91.1%, respectively). In multiple regression models, significant predictors of caregivers’ physical health were delivering care to a family member and a higher level of care complexity, while significant predictors of caregivers’ mental health were a higher level of care complexity and increased concerns about self-health and the health of the person being cared for due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Conclusions: Informal caregivers are experiencing negative physical and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia.

This paper aims at presenting findings of the research that aimed at exploring the frequency of abuse targeting older persons, frequency of individual types of elder abuse, as well as the frequency of elder abuse targeting two different types of older persons. The research took place in 2016 in 9 Serbian municipalities and was designed as a cross-section study. It was conducted on a sample of 616 older persons of whom 58.1% (358) are socially less active and have some kind of support in daily life activities and 41.9% (258) are active in their communities and are socially included. The starting assumption of the research is that the frequency of elder abuse is more often in socially excluded persons than it is in socially included and more active ones. The research confirmed the correlation between the level of social activity and the risk of elder abuse and this correlation can be clearly explained by exploring other protective factors and risk factors such as income and education level or chronic diseases and disability.

Violence as a social phenomenon does not know the age of a victim. It is happening at all stages of life and among members of all age groups. Ageing of the population and an increasing emphasis on its problems, among other things, raises the issue of violence against the elderly which is happening in their homes. Incorrect assumptions that violence occurs in institutions rather than in the family contributes to ignoring the probem. A combination of individual, relational, community, and societal factors contribute to the risk of becoming a victim and a perpetrator of elder abuse. Based on the so far research and knowledge, the paper aims to point out to the risk factor for elder abuse in order to sensitize and foster public and scientific community on activism, discovering and solving problems related to elder abuse in the family setting.