STUDY OF THE SENIOR POPULATION OF COPȘA MICĂ AFTER THE REVOLUTION AND THE MODEL CHANGE. AN ETHNOGRAPHIC VISION

Abstract

Objectives.The health-care and welfare needs of the elderly population are increasing in Eastern European countries, especially in Romania. In 1989, subsequently after the fall of Ceausescu´s regime, the country had to restart, with the novelty of going abroad to work in the post-revolutionary Romanian context, retaining those who would become the future old age of the country. The purpose of this article was to explore the various social problems faced by this sector of the population, as a result of an ethnography within the framework of a case study carried out in the city of Copșa Mică. Material and methods. The study was based on an ethnographic research carried out between September 2020 and April 2021, supported by discourse analysis of 12 life stories and 18 in-depth interviews, a total of 30 people from the town of Copșa Mică, 15 men and 15 women, whose ages were between 53 and 85 years. Results. In particular, this study revealed the existence of invisible illnesses and suffering that affect mental health, such as loneliness, abandonment or depression. These discomforts come, partly, as a result of the change of paradigm, and the constant migration of former workers sons and daughters. Conclusions. It is necessary to rethink these contemporary challenges, in which the current social structure puts old age aside, with the duty of positioning it towards a dignified old age and increasing social strategies to face the growing need for care and attention.