ULOGA SOCIJALNOG PEDAGOGA U USTANOVAMA ZA SMJEŠTAJ STARIJIH OSOBA
Upon entering a home for the elderly, a person may feel rejected by their relatives and friends. That is why the support of the social pedagogue is very important for them when they enter the institution, the way of communication, familiarization with the rights and obligations in the institution, but their better functioning. The aim of the paper is to examine the role of the social pedagogue in relation to other employees in institutions for housing the elderly, and to examine the significance of the social pedagogue for the functioning and assistance in the adaptation of users when entering an institution for the housing of the elderly. 100 respondents participated in the research. For the purposes of the research, two measuring instruments were used: the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support - MSPSS and the HCAHPS Survey. The results of the research show that the social pedagogue is an important support link for the elderly, and that he has the competencies and knowledge to work with the elderly, considering their personality structure. The results of the t-test (t=4.778; df=87; p=0.000) show that there is a statistically significant difference in relation to the adaptation of users and the professional competence of social pedagogues who play a crucial role in facilitating the adaptation of users of the home.