Aurora Llodrà is 78 years old, but she retains the same mental dexterity as when she was twenty. She writes poetry and a few years ago she published her own book. She likes the world of spirituality, and she has lived in Santa Catalina for many years. She has children, grandchildren and also friends. However, she is not entirely happy: sometimes she feels lonely.
But it isn’t. Thousands of citizens suffer from the same problem. Of the 70,000 people over the age of 65 who reside in Palma, nearly 20,000 live alone. “I have no one to trust”, “I miss having people around” or “I feel abandoned” These are some of the statements included in the decalogue of the program always accompanied to detect in which cases this loneliness is unwanted: “If you identify with any of these phrases, call us,” reads the brochure distributed by professionals.
The Via Roma, in front of the Misericòrdia gardens, turned yesterday morning into a space for debate and visibility in the open air on the phenomenon within the framework of this program. A ‘word marathon’as the participants called it, which took place in fourteen cities in Spain for the international day of the Old people.
But it isn’t. Thousands of citizens suffer from the same problem. Of the 70,000 people over the age of 65 who reside in Palma, nearly 20,000 live alone. “I have no one to trust”, “I miss having people around” or “I feel abandoned” These are some of the statements included in the decalogue of the program always accompanied to detect in which cases this loneliness is unwanted: “If you identify with any of these phrases, call us,” reads the brochure distributed by professionals.
The Via Roma, in front of the Misericòrdia gardens, turned yesterday morning into a space for debate and visibility in the open air on the phenomenon within the framework of this program. A ‘word marathon’as the participants called it, which took place in fourteen cities in Spain for the international day of the Old people.
The mayor of Palma, José Hila, opened the event at around 10:00 a.m., to which people gradually joined. The actor Tony Gomila was in charge of presenting the act, full of debate, colloquium and humor. One of the outstanding interventions was that of the UIB professor and founder of the Open University for the Elderly, carme orte: “Although each of us has a different journey, from the age of 50 the chances of feeling alone increase”.
The academic claimed the need to work on strategic plans and programs —such as the always accompanied of the ‘La Caixa’ Foundation, which has cared for 85 people this year in Palma alone– to break the silence of loneliness in the elderly. The important thing, he explained, is to ensure that they have a network of trusted people to lean on. As Aurora Llodra: “I have met people and made good friends”said the woman from Palma, who yesterday had the opportunity to delight the attendees with one of her poems.
A marathon of words against the loneliness of the elderly in Palma