University of Valencia

Academic, scientific or professional interest: The growing importance of importance the elderly in our society is becoming increasingly clear, both from the demographic and social and from the economic and health point of view. The greatest increase in life expectancy according to the UN (MIPAA Report, 2002) will occur in the next decades, most probably by 2050. In that year, it is expected that the group of people of and over 80 years of age will increase fivefold (Vaupel and Jeune, 1995). It is needless to say that aging is one of the great advances of this century, yet not without consequences, as the structural and functional transformation of the population is generating significant political repercussions, which need to be addressed as society changes. Demographic change requires the use of new techniques for prevention and/or treatment to limit social and health spending. Furthermore, the benefits and cost effectiveness in the management of the resources of the elderly is one aspect to be considered in all the current health systems that appreciate quality management. The group of physiotherapists, in particular, and the group of social and health workers, in general, has the obligation to study and learn the different strategies in order to know how to handle the different problems that may arise during this period of life. This Master’s degree provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills, and raises research purposes in this field.