AUDITING FAIR VALUES IN A SENSITIVE SOCIO-ECONOMICAL CONTEXT

The concept of fair value was subject of many debates and disputes in recentyears. These debates have focused mainly on the relevance of the concept, but also on thepractical difficulties in determining reasonable estimates, raising particularly the interest ofpractitioners in terms of identifying the best valuation procedures and techniques,respectively auditing fair values. Determining the fair value involves a broad spectrum ofapproaches, from the simplest to the most complex and burdensome ones. In the currentsocio-economical context, market and stock volatility raises questions about fair values, evenif there are conditions for the existence of market information. The problem gets morecomplicated where fair value is determined based on cash-flows, especially where there areuncertainties about the value and timing of cash-flows and adjustment rates, and the impactof used assumptions related to future conditions, transactions and events.Last but not least, assessment of fair value is based on the going concern assumption, whichmay not be applicable in the context of an economic crisis.The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) provide for financial instruments tobe measured generally at fair value. Because fair value is primarily assimilated with marketprice, its assessment requires the existence of a market able to operate under normalconditions, or in other words, sufficiently liquid to assess the price of financial instruments.And, one of the features of the current crisis consists in the significant decrease of liquiditieson the market, which in turn caused a high impairment of derivatives (those based onAmerican real estate). As American real estate can never be zero, market prices are not thereal ones. However, this situation highlights the volume of liquidities available to buyers,which is a feature of imperfect markets. But the International Financial Reporting Standardsdid not anticipate the effects of liquidities on financial instruments, as their development isbased on perfect functioning of financial markets. Under these circumstances, fair valuemeasurement started to be increasingly criticised, and the International AccountingStandards Board (IASB) has changed the rules for measurement of financial instruments atfair value.Given the high degree of volatility, auditors should ensure that valuation methods andassumptions used by management under normal conditions for determining fair values areappropriate in a sensitive socio-economical context as well, and that the valuation modelincludes also the effects of subsequent events.fair value, historical costs, fair value audit, volatility, economic crisis

Particulars of promoting a healthy lifestyle in the elderly

Introducere. Ghidurile OMS denotă că promovarea modului sănătos de viață în rândurile vârstnicilor are o serie de beneficii și contribuie la rezultate terapeutice semnificative, precum îmbunătățirea ratelor de mortalitate, mai ales în cazul bolilor cardiovasculare, cancerului, diabetului de tip 2, sănătății mintale și îmbunătățirea capacității funcționale prin prevenirea căderilor și leziunilor asociate căderilor. Scopul lucrării: Evaluarea comportamentelor de viață sănătoasă la vârstnici descrise în literatura de specialitate pentru a determina strategiile specifice de promovare în farmaciile comunitare. Material și metode. Materialele supuse cercetării includ datele statistice oferite de către Organizația Mondială a Sănătății, precum și ghidurile elaborate de către aceasta; diverse acte normative ce reglementează promovarea modului sănătos de viață. Studiul se axează pe anumite comportamente ce țin de asigurarea unei vieți sănătoase la vârstnici: fumatul, dieta, consumul de alcool, activitatea fizică, sedentarismul, durata somnului, activități de agrement și hobby-uri. Rezultate. Pentru realizarea studiului dat au fost evaluate 23 de surse bibliografice care caracterizează acțiunile de promovare a modului sănătos de viață desfășurate în farmaciile comunitare. Astfel, au fost identificate barierele și premisele care influențează implementarea și aplicarea serviciului farmaceutic de promovare a modului sănătos de viață de către farmaciști în rutina lor zilnică. De asemenea, au fost evaluate și diverse modele elaborate în baza teoriilor comportamentului. Un model integrativ și cuprinzător de comportament este modelul COM-B, care leagă trei componente principale ca surse de comportament: Capacitate, Oportunitate, Motivație. Pe baza modelului COM-B a fost elaborat un chestionar pentru farmaciști care ar oferi informații despre principalii factori și provocări cu care se confruntă farmaciștii în prestarea serviciului de promovare a modului sănătos de viață. Acest studiu este unul pilot pentru a dezvălui ce se poate aplica pentru a promova mai bine modul sănătos de viață în contextul farmaciei. Concluzii. Conform rezultatelor studiilor evaluate s-a evidențiat încă o dată importanța promovării modului sănătos de viață la vârstnici, iar optimizarea serviciului dat farmaceutic ar asigura reducerea polimedicației la vârstnici și ar spori calitatea vieții acestora în condiții de ambulatoriu.Introduction. WHO guidelines indicate that promoting healthy lifestyles among the elderly has a number of benefits and contributes to significant therapeutic outcomes, such as improved mortality rates, especially for cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, mental health and improved functional capacity by preventing falls and fallassociated injuries. The aim of the study: Evaluation of healthy lifestyle behaviors in the elderly described in the specialized literature to determine specific promotion strategies in community pharmacies. Material and methods. Materials subject to research include statistical data provided by the World Health Organization, as well as guidelines developed by it; various normative acts regulating the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The study focuses on certain behaviors related to ensuring a healthy life in the elderly: smoking, diet, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, sleep duration, leisure activities and hobbies. Results. To carry out this study, 23 bibliographic sources were evaluated that characterize the actions to promote the healthy way of life carried out in community pharmacies. Thus, the barriers and premises that influence the implementation and application of the pharmaceutical service of promoting healthy lifestyle by pharmacists in their daily routine were identified. Various models developed on the basis of behavioral theories were also evaluated. An integrative and comprehensive model of behavior is the COM-B model, which links three main components as sources of behavior: Capacity, Opportunity, Motivation. Based on the COM-B model, a questionnaire for pharmacists was developed that would provide information on the main factors and challenges faced by pharmacists in providing the service of promoting healthy lifestyles. This is a pilot study to reveal what can be applied to better promote healthy living in the pharmacy context. Conclusions. According to the results of the evaluated studies, the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle in the elderly was highlighted once again, and the optimization of the pharmaceutical service would ensure the reduction of polymedication in the elderly and would increase their quality of life in ambulatory conditions