After Police Found Elderly Couple Crying, They Cooked Them Pasta And Stayed For A Chat
Last Tuesday, the neighbors of an elderly couple in Rome reported that they heard shouting and crying in their flat, so police officers rushed to the place expecting to find a crime scene. What they found was much more heartbreaking that they’d expected. There were no burglars – 84-year-old Jole and her 94-year-old husband Michele were crying because they felt awfully lonely.
The couple was watching TV and Jole got too upset about all the hate in the news that she saw and started crying. While the officers were waiting for the ambulance – they wanted to check on the couple – they cooked them spaghetti with butter and parmesan. Jole and Michele have been married for almost 70 years and it’s been a long time since they had any visitors, TV being the only thing to keep them company. The officers stayed with them that evening to listen to their life stories.
More info: Facebook (h/t: huffpost)
Last Tuesday, police rushed to the flat of this elderly couple expecting to find a crime scene because neighbors reported crying and shouting
But the Italian couple was crying because of loneliness… so the officers cooked them pasta and stayed with them for the evening to chat
Faith in humanity restored!
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Share on FacebookLoneliness is unfortunately a common problem among the elderly. The family structure many of us are familiar with today ultimately leaves parents neglected after their children leave home and start their adult lives. I worked at nursing homes where many residents didn't have any visitors for years and sat alone each day staring out a window or at a television. Maybe you've seen this heartbreaking tv commercial about the lonely elderly man? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6-0kYhqoRo. There have been encouraging signs that some cultures are beginning to address this problem. There are communities that foster interaction of the old with the young. This makes the people that have the most life experience feel wanted and useful to today's generations and society as a whole. I personally don't know of any greater wisdom than that of someone who has lived 70, 80 or 90 years of life. We should all place higher value to these people. If we are fortunate we will one day become one of them.
I read an article some time ago about the post-WW2 society and the comparaison with before 1st WW, and all the values and stability who where lost during the wars. Seems like by building a functionalism structure begining of the 20th century, we simplified and forgot the variety, all the richness and the complexity of human society. By reading some George Sand's book, i found so much layer and interactivity in the old times. Research now shows that intergeneration exchange creates lots of added value (transmission of experience, help and support in both direction) but also a better stability (money, less stress, faster problem solving, communication). In Seattle they mixed a preschool with a nursing home, and the children spend some times with the elderly who helps them learn (win-win situation). there's also a project in London.
Load More Replies...In a city full of millions of people, it's drastic that people should be so lonely that it brings them to tears. Bless those two fine men who took their time to make two human beings feel human again. Policing is more than just arrests and tickets... it requires a depth of compassion - they will be rewarded well.
This is an unfortunate truth in the world today. It's hard to interact with people outside the realm of technology (dating is even more popular online). Couples will sit in the same room, but both are fully invested in their cell phones. You can physically be surrounded by people, and still feel completely alone. Its getting harder for people to connect with one another, which is ironic considering, technology should make that easier.
Booo At least they had each other and have probably married for 60 years ! that's more than most people
That's the sad reality of our world. Our elders are not respected anymore, they are looked at with disdain and as a burden instead of being admired and loved until their last breath. We put them in senior houses to have others take care of them (and we all know what it is like to live there, when they are not abused they are neglected, they just want your money) untils they finaly die and we can get some last money out of their cold corpses. We prefer to invest loads of money to not take care of our elders than make the tiny effort of taking care of them ourselves. Too many people are prompt to forget everything these people sacrificed in their life so WE can have a decent life ourselves. Younger generations don't want to wipe their parents asses but they forget that their parents wiped their asses for many years and wahsed their dirty laundry without a second thought, because they were family and they found it normal to assume their flesh and blood (or their adopted ones).
Under the false pretense of being too occupied we put on the side the fact that our elders were once also too occupied but they took the time to educate us, to take us to the clothes shop, to take us to vacation, to spend time with us. But as people grow up they forget all this and their elders are condemned to end their life alone, rejected by everyone and forgotten in a dark senior center. Even society tries to get rid of the elders. How many times did I see the proposition to subject "old" people (as if 70 is old) to obligatory medical tests to see if they still have the right to drive their car. Be cause it would so great if we could get rid of them on the roads so they die from neglect at home. Because let's be realist, with no car and no money to pay a taxi (or someone) to go get groceries (and lods of elders don't have money even though they worked their whole life), how can you live? How can you go for yoru meds? How can you just live, parked in your home like a nasty disease?
Load More Replies...Please tell me the cops didn't get into trouble for taking time with this couple????
Just one thought: what kind of people were this freaking neighbours? Seriously, they heard someone crying and first thing that came to their mind was calling the police? wtf?! Yeah, call me reckless, but if situation like that would happen, I'd just knock at their doors to check if something is wrong. Especially if I'd knew who lives there.
This breaks my heart... If I could walk through my computer screen to be with them I would, but thank you Police Officers for doing this.
This is a sad issue in society. The elderly have such amazing stories to tell and experience to impart. The knowledge they carry is something we all need. Life experience is something to be shared. We need to keep in contact with the elderly in our communities, in every country.
Loneliness is unfortunately a common problem among the elderly. The family structure many of us are familiar with today ultimately leaves parents neglected after their children leave home and start their adult lives. I worked at nursing homes where many residents didn't have any visitors for years and sat alone each day staring out a window or at a television. Maybe you've seen this heartbreaking tv commercial about the lonely elderly man? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6-0kYhqoRo. There have been encouraging signs that some cultures are beginning to address this problem. There are communities that foster interaction of the old with the young. This makes the people that have the most life experience feel wanted and useful to today's generations and society as a whole. I personally don't know of any greater wisdom than that of someone who has lived 70, 80 or 90 years of life. We should all place higher value to these people. If we are fortunate we will one day become one of them.
I read an article some time ago about the post-WW2 society and the comparaison with before 1st WW, and all the values and stability who where lost during the wars. Seems like by building a functionalism structure begining of the 20th century, we simplified and forgot the variety, all the richness and the complexity of human society. By reading some George Sand's book, i found so much layer and interactivity in the old times. Research now shows that intergeneration exchange creates lots of added value (transmission of experience, help and support in both direction) but also a better stability (money, less stress, faster problem solving, communication). In Seattle they mixed a preschool with a nursing home, and the children spend some times with the elderly who helps them learn (win-win situation). there's also a project in London.
Load More Replies...In a city full of millions of people, it's drastic that people should be so lonely that it brings them to tears. Bless those two fine men who took their time to make two human beings feel human again. Policing is more than just arrests and tickets... it requires a depth of compassion - they will be rewarded well.
This is an unfortunate truth in the world today. It's hard to interact with people outside the realm of technology (dating is even more popular online). Couples will sit in the same room, but both are fully invested in their cell phones. You can physically be surrounded by people, and still feel completely alone. Its getting harder for people to connect with one another, which is ironic considering, technology should make that easier.
Booo At least they had each other and have probably married for 60 years ! that's more than most people
That's the sad reality of our world. Our elders are not respected anymore, they are looked at with disdain and as a burden instead of being admired and loved until their last breath. We put them in senior houses to have others take care of them (and we all know what it is like to live there, when they are not abused they are neglected, they just want your money) untils they finaly die and we can get some last money out of their cold corpses. We prefer to invest loads of money to not take care of our elders than make the tiny effort of taking care of them ourselves. Too many people are prompt to forget everything these people sacrificed in their life so WE can have a decent life ourselves. Younger generations don't want to wipe their parents asses but they forget that their parents wiped their asses for many years and wahsed their dirty laundry without a second thought, because they were family and they found it normal to assume their flesh and blood (or their adopted ones).
Under the false pretense of being too occupied we put on the side the fact that our elders were once also too occupied but they took the time to educate us, to take us to the clothes shop, to take us to vacation, to spend time with us. But as people grow up they forget all this and their elders are condemned to end their life alone, rejected by everyone and forgotten in a dark senior center. Even society tries to get rid of the elders. How many times did I see the proposition to subject "old" people (as if 70 is old) to obligatory medical tests to see if they still have the right to drive their car. Be cause it would so great if we could get rid of them on the roads so they die from neglect at home. Because let's be realist, with no car and no money to pay a taxi (or someone) to go get groceries (and lods of elders don't have money even though they worked their whole life), how can you live? How can you go for yoru meds? How can you just live, parked in your home like a nasty disease?
Load More Replies...Please tell me the cops didn't get into trouble for taking time with this couple????
Just one thought: what kind of people were this freaking neighbours? Seriously, they heard someone crying and first thing that came to their mind was calling the police? wtf?! Yeah, call me reckless, but if situation like that would happen, I'd just knock at their doors to check if something is wrong. Especially if I'd knew who lives there.
This breaks my heart... If I could walk through my computer screen to be with them I would, but thank you Police Officers for doing this.
This is a sad issue in society. The elderly have such amazing stories to tell and experience to impart. The knowledge they carry is something we all need. Life experience is something to be shared. We need to keep in contact with the elderly in our communities, in every country.
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