Aging and old age in the aspect of social policy

Recently, interest in the aging process of the Polish society and the phenomenon of old age has risen among social pedagogues, although though rarely they have been undertaken in research and publications in the field of this discipline. The article presents selected aspects and consequences of this issue and related social challenges. Focus has been placed on aging as a global demographic process, social attitudes towards elderly people and old age, different models of care for the elderly in European Union countries, educational and social activity of seniors. At the end, the most important tasks have been defined for social policy and organisation of geriatric care.