Elder abuse; interview; prevention; social educator

The article focuses on the analysis of the role of social educators in the prevention of elder abuse, maltreatment, and neglect, with particular emphasis on invisible and latent forms of harm that often remainoutside the attention of professionals. The objective of the present study is to ascertain how social educators perceive the issue of violence against the elderly, to what extent they encounter it in their professionalpractice, what strategies and competencies they use when working with vulnerable seniors, and what barriers prevent them from effective prevention and intervention. The research is conducted using aqualitative strategy involving semi-structured interviews with social educators working in various areas ofsocial services, education, and community work. Thematic analysis of the interviews focuses on identifying professional experiences, perceptions of risk situations, approaches to prevention, and key factorsinfluencing the effectiveness of their activities. It is imperative to note that a significant degree of attention is allocated to the matter of professional training and the opportunities for further education of socialpedagogues in the domain of geriatric prevention. The anticipated outcomes indicate that social educators are only peripherally engaged with the issue of elder abuse. However, they frequently encounter inadequatemethodological support, a limited interdisciplinary collaboration, and an absence of targeted training. It is anticipated that the study will also reveal discrepancies in the approaches adopted by individual workplaces,as well as in the perception of their employees' professional role. It is anticipated that the findings will inform the formulation of recommendations for the enhancement of professional training for socialpedagogues. This will be achieved by means of the development of supervision and methodological support, in addition to the strengthening of community-oriented prevention strategies. The article will thus provide a theoretically grounded and practically oriented contribution to the development of violence prevention among seniors and highlight the potential of social pedagogy in protecting this vulnerable group.

The article focuses on the analysis of the role of social educators in the prevention of elder abuse, maltreatment, and neglect, with particular emphasis on invisible and latent forms of harm that often remainoutside the attention of professionals. The objective of the present study is to ascertain how social educators perceive the issue of violence against the elderly, to what extent they encounter it in their professionalpractice, what strategies and competencies they use when working with vulnerable seniors, and what barriers prevent them from effective prevention and intervention. The research is conducted using aqualitative strategy involving semi-structured interviews with social educators working in various areas ofsocial services, education, and community work. Thematic analysis of the interviews focuses on identifying professional experiences, perceptions of risk situations, approaches to prevention, and key factorsinfluencing the effectiveness of their activities. It is imperative to note that a significant degree of attention is allocated to the matter of professional training and the opportunities for further education of socialpedagogues in the domain of geriatric prevention. The anticipated outcomes indicate that social educators are only peripherally engaged with the issue of elder abuse. However, they frequently encounter inadequatemethodological support, a limited interdisciplinary collaboration, and an absence of targeted training. It is anticipated that the study will also reveal discrepancies in the approaches adopted by individual workplaces,as well as in the perception of their employees' professional role. It is anticipated that the findings will inform the formulation of recommendations for the enhancement of professional training for socialpedagogues. This will be achieved by means of the development of supervision and methodological support, in addition to the strengthening of community-oriented prevention strategies. The article will thus provide a theoretically grounded and practically oriented contribution to the development of violence prevention among seniors and highlight the potential of social pedagogy in protecting this vulnerable group.