Addressing the first International Congress on the Pastoral Care of the Elderly in 2020, entitled ‘The richness of many years’, Pope Francis spoke of old age as a precious treasure that takes shape in the journey of every man and woman’s life, whatever their origins, background, or economic and social conditions.
“Life is a gift, and if it is long, it is a privilege, for oneself and for others. Always,” he said.
Ageing is beautiful; it is a blessing; it is the peak of human development. If we are lucky to age, we can proudly look back and reap the rewards of years of hard work. Ageing is also a time to feel at peace with ourselves and enjoy some tranquillity.
Ageing is a sign of wisdom and experience. Ageing is the richest part of one’s life. I have great admiration for older persons who are determined to live this time beautifully, despite its many difficulties and vulnerabilities.
Even though the frailty perspective of ageing dominates, I look at vulnerability as a strength, the driving force of connection. Being vulnerable is part of being human. It is a sign of bravery and, therefore, must not be turned into a weakness.
Older adults worldwide were the main victims of the novel COVID-19 outbreak and elderly in long-term care facilities were severely hit in terms of mortality. I believe that the situation would have been very different if older persons had a stronger voice and were heard more within their societies and communities. Unfortunately, they were pushed aside and isolated – due to their age and vulnerability.
Thankfully, the pandemic has highlighted the need to do away with the indifference and rejection our societies manifest towards the elderly and to seriously reflect on learning to grasp and appreciate the value of old age.
Older persons should remain integrated and active in all spheres of society, developing, formulating and implementing policies that directly affect their well-being. They should also be encouraged to share their knowledge, skills, values and life experiences, as well as to seek and develop opportunities for service to the community and to serve as volunteers in positions appropriate to their interests and capabilities.
As a nation, we need to come up with an ageing plan to be able to enjoy our retirement and tackle what we intend to do with our time in a productive way, thus embracing this final phase in our life
Still very much a taboo in society, ageing is a topic we avoid talking about openly and naturally. But we can collectively take steps to change this mentality.
As a nation, we need to come up with an ageing plan to be able to enjoy our retirement and tackle what we intend to do with our time in a productive way, thus embracing this final phase in our life.
As a society, we have created attitudes and approaches towards ageing that are often negative and patronising. We can start mending our old ways by focusing first and foremost on accessible infrastructure within our communities – the most fundamental component of society’s support system for the older population. The road towards a barrier-free society might be long and complex, but I’m sure our mentality will change once this target is reached.
Although the helping professions and community services have expanded dramatically over the years, there is a growing sense that community services often fail to address quality of life issues, as well as vulnerability, social isolation and lack of inclusion.
To truly combat ageism, we must look at the problem holistically. How about taking our first step – creating a true feeling of community for our older adults? To do this, we must adopt a grassroots approach – re-instilling the ‘wise-old-man’ mentality while discarding the ‘out with the old, in with the new’ mantra.
Natalie Briffa Farrugia is a member of the Maltese Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics.