The central theme of this Spring 2024 Dénia Edition Festival of the Humanities It was "aging." However, the speakers at this event preferred to talk about "longevity" in two talks that took place this Thursday in the Auditorium of the Dénia Social Center.
Under the title "Living and living with aging", the philosopher Nobert Bilbeny wanted to highlight the idea that "the fact of being old is a judgment of others", made by the family of that elderly person or the social environment, although that person may not feel himself to be "old."
Bilbeny has pointed out another aspect of having a birthday: old age is like a second adolescence. In this sense, the thinker understands this stage of life as a change in the body, in the mind and that also implies new experiences and projects.
Furthermore, the speaker has criticized that there is "a lack of contact and learning towards older people", who end up being "an invisible generation" despite the number of elderly people in society.
However, Bilbeny concludes that old age should be "like a spring of life", looking for that positive part: you can say what you think, you can choose who you want to be with without so much pressure, it no longer matters depending on judgment. of others and in general people are allowed to be more themselves.
Xita Rubert, researcher and professor of Literature at Princeton University, has also supported this philosopher's idea about the forgetfulness of the older generation. She verified it firsthand from a project with which she wanted to tell stories about elderly people with dementia: when she proposed to write about these topics she was met with refusal from the media. "Literature is the place to tell these stories, the secrets and taboos of society, like old age," she explained.
The low investment in the elderly
Under the title "A scientific/sociological approach to longevity", another conference was held by María Ángeles Durán, Professor of Sociology and professor at the CSIC, and Josefa Ros, a researcher focused on the critical study of boredom.
Both speakers agreed on the need to invest in people's longevity. Firstly, María Ángeles Durán has explained that many elderly people are forced to have to save in order to "survive" in the last stage of their lives.
The expert has reported that, for example, the health system only covers 5% of the needs of a person suffering from Alzheimer's: "Another 95% would be needed, which normally has to be taken care of by a woman, whether a relative of "the affected person or an immigrant caregiver with insufficient wages."
For her part, Josefa Ros, has spoken of investment in residences to promote a model in which older people have decision-making capacity on issues that affect their daily lives and that help them escape the state of boredom that they face with the routine, more focused on security than on the entertainment of the residents.
The expert has exposed the consequences of boredom in nursing homes through her own study: mood changes, violent reactions, withdrawn personalities, sleep and eating disorders, and even depression and suicidal ideation.
Not a paraula in Valencia. Not a presentation. Shame.