Aging population and the current account of the Third Age.

Since the second half of the twentieth century, following the conclusion of the process of demographic transition, which involved the most advanced countries, there has been a lengthening of life expectancy, due to the improvement of social conditions and health and hygiene. By analyzing the changes that have occurred in the last three decades1, it is possible today to resume and confrm the need to put at the center of policy the theme of aging in modern society, challenge launched in 1982 in Vienna by the United Nations at the First World Assembly on Ageing. The comparison of the age structure of the population from the years 2005 to 2050 shows a signifcant reduction of the central age groups, while the elderly population will occupy a considerable percentage of the Italian population. This evolution of the aging of the population has signifcant implications in the programming policy of social welfare and also assumed a social dimension in the aspects related to the perception of the condition of the elderly (Burgalassi, 1985). It is therefore evident that aging is a "problem" not only of individuals but that affects the lives of everyone, including the architecture of social, cultural and religious whole society. The progressive aging of the population is, without doubt, one of the challenges that society must facing in this new century. Before highlighting the benefts offered by intergenerational relationships should mention briefy that the current era reserve to the "third age". The prevalent family model until after World War II is that of the patriarchal family. In this framework the older man plays a predominant role. Being elderly gave, in fact, respect and even the right to broadcast in a uni-directional way knowledge, practices and behavioral value orientations to younger (Pati, 2010). Compared to the way of life of the past century where Elder held an important function of link between the generation of the present and those of the past by acting as example and incentive for the child, the situation is completely reversed. Today the importance of transmission is dominated by the exaltation of the innovations that eventually overwhelm the image of the elderly, fewer holders of knowledge and, consequently, more and more at risk of social and cultural marginalization. (Galimberti, 2009; Rossi, 2012; Frabboni, Pinto Minerva, 2013). Within this perspective adulthood, especially the elderly, require a redefnition of identity pedagogically speaking, that highlights the prospect of "educability" and enhances skills (Bélanger, Federighi, 2000), trying to remove the traditional stereotype of the elderly as socially useless because now unproductive. It seems, in fact, that the elderly have to demonstrate that they are still capable of doing something, not to be a burden on society. Although defned as “lucky generation” (Vegetti Finzi, 2008, p. 49), because most long-lived thanks to advances in medicine and health care, and on average richer, having benefted from the "economic miracle" of the sixties, they now often live alone, marginalized and in the absence of the love of family. Certainly They live longer, but it is neither proven nor established that they live more peacefully, more appropriately looked after and respected and understood. Marginalization provokes strong inner feelings (such as the sense of liabilities), and questions related to the search for meaning in this last stretch of the journey of life to deal with often with great diffculty. According to the philosopher Natoli this situation is precisely a result of inter-generational communication diffculties: "One of the most tragic reasons of loss of quality in contemporary life was the break between old and young; the continuity of the experience was stopped and then everyone has to start all over again. The old, not knowing to whom to communicate their wealth of experience, wither; while young people do not grow or grow poorly, because they have no experience with which to compare " (Natoli, 2006, p. 41).