The Importance of Anti-aging Medicine in Croatian Economy Growth

Tendency of the Croatian older population increase is in accordance with the growth trend of the elderly people proportion in developed countries of the world. Therefore, at the 2nd Croatian Gerontological Congress with International Participation which had been held in Opatija, Croatia, March 9-12, 2006 one of the conclusion was that anti-aging program of health care for the elderly has important role in the planning of development of Croatian economy. The health management for elderly by the way of execution of the regular four areas of gerontological activities of Referential National Centre for gerontology of Croatia enables the production of gerontological standards and algorithms with the establishment of the nets of gerontological and geriatric healthcare. As the supreme health management for older persons, Centre of gerontology of the Zagreb Institute for public health of Croatia does most complex tasks and businesses through four extents regular anti-aging gerontological activities. At the level of middle health management for older persons function regional Centres for the gerontology of the of Croatia. Establishment of the work and tasks of Gerontological team on the County Institutes for public health is based upon monitoring, identification, research and reporting to Referential Centre for gerontology about health needs of functionally incapacitaded elderly people. The basic health management for elderly present Gerontological centres, homes for old and disabled people, geriatric hospitals, daily hospitals for geriatric patients, geronto-services etc. They have been encumbered for institutional and non-institutional anti-aging healthcare for elderly people. The role of Referential Centre for gerontology as well as Centres for gerontology of the County Institutes for public health of Croatia through adequate planning, execution and evaluation of Programs of measures and procedures in anti-aging preventive medicine for older people are of great importance in the planning of development of Croatian economy and for the process of the accelerated Croatian including in EU.