Solidarity as Applied Anthropology and Theology. Seniors as part of the Concerns of Religious Communities
Solidarity as Applied Anthropology and Theology. Seniors as part of the Concerns of Religious Communities

Summary/Abstract: The concern for and about the elderly is deeply rooted in the biblical history, as witnessed in the Book of Psalms: “Do not forsake me in my old age” (Psalm 70: 19-20). The social services for the elderly have taken many forms in various cultures. Thus, tribal care was supplemented by dependence on the family, which in some countries is still the primary source of help for the elderly. For example, in countries such as USA, volunteers and families provide eighty percent of the help to the elderly. Families with elderly people themselves often need help. There is an aphorism claiming that two parents can support eight children, but eight children cannot support one parent. In other cultures, families are helped by church groups, guilds, humanitarian organizations and self-help groups, among others. The paper tries to look into the problem of the elderly and their dignity of being the “image and likeness of God” in Romania, providing an analysis of those situations in which they are either neglected or humiliated by a fast-changing society, that tends to leave them behind. They do not move, do not emigrate, have no power to strike, claim or start again, but often suffer in silence. It is a psychological and social trauma to move someone in his/her old age from his/her house into an institutional home for elderly. They need to “age in place” and be provided with decent living, less work, suitable living conditions and love from the community. Does the answer come from religious communities? If so, how far can they go? They need care-workers, especially in rural areas where the elderly tend to be sicker and more disabled than their urban counterparts.

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