The Everyday Drama of Elderly’s Loneliness

Life expectancy in Western society has grown more than significantly in recent decades. Italy is the oldest country in Europe, with a percentage of 23% of the population over 65 years old. However, the medical conditions of many elderly people have not improved as they now suffer from severe disabling diseases for many years at the end of their lives. But beyond the medical aspect, these people, once active and an integral part of society, today suffer from a devastating social and cultural marginalization, caused by the technological gap with the younger generations and the lack of interest of the latter towards them. The Coronavirus pandemic and the death brought by Covid-19 has, in 2020, brought to light all the vulnerability of the over 65s, asking the various countries of the world a fundamental question: do we have to sacrifice our old people seeking herd immunity, or do we have to safeguard and protect them? These ten photos, these ten street photography images, taken in Rome especially during the last three summers, tell the profound loneliness of men and women who could be our grandparents, parents, uncles, and aunts. In other words, those family members who one day took care of us with love and attention.

Life expectancy in Western society has grown more than significantly in recent decades. Italy is the oldest country in Europe, with a percentage of 23% of the population over 65 years old. However, the medical conditions of many elderly people have not improved as they now suffer from severe disabling diseases for many years at the end of their lives. But beyond the medical aspect, these people, once active and an integral part of society, today suffer from a devastating social and cultural marginalization, caused by the technological gap with the younger generations and the lack of interest of the latter towards them. The Coronavirus pandemic and the death brought by Covid-19 has, in 2020, brought to light all the vulnerability of the over 65s, asking the various countries of the world a fundamental question: do we have to sacrifice our old people seeking herd immunity, or do we have to safeguard and protect them? These ten photos, these ten street photography images, taken in Rome especially during the last three summers, tell the profound loneliness of men and women who could be our grandparents, parents, uncles, and aunts. In other words, those family members who one day took care of us with love and attention.