Conference Program

Title: Life Planning and Care Relationships for the Elderly

Daniela Persechini

Adjunct Professor at the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio; d.persechini@unicas.it

This article explores the relationship between special education, neurodidactics, and care policies as they pertain to the elderly population, with a particular focus on the life plan as a tool for active inclusion and on democratic citizenship as an indispensable value. In a demographic context undergoing profound transformation, rethinking educational and care models for the elderly represents one of the most urgent challenges of contemporary pedagogy. The progressive aging of the population in Western countries demands a profound reflection on the social, educational, and healthcare structures that govern the lives of older adults. In this scenario, special education is called upon to move beyond traditional boundaries to rigorously and creatively examine the educational, relational, and identity-related needs of older adults. This is not merely a matter of care or rehabilitation, but of recognizing the full educational subjectivity of the elderly: their capacity to learn, participate, make choices, and contribute to collective life. Longevity, far from being exclusively a biomedical issue, emerges as a pedagogical and political phenomenon. Quality of life in old age depends increasingly on access to inclusive educational settings, the availability of supportive care networks, and the recognition of citizens’ rights even during periods of greatest vulnerability. Special education for the elderly offers a new and urgent approach to life planning. Conceiving a life plan for an older person, even in conditions of frailty or disability, means recognizing that every stage of life holds potential, desires, and rights that deserve to be addressed. Building a shared life plan requires the professionals involved to possess skills in deep listening, narrative facilitation, and co-design with the individual and their family and social network. In this way, the care relationship—when guided by pedagogical principles—becomes both an educational act that values the individual and promotes their participation (countering the passivity typical of traditional care models) and a political and pedagogical act that defines the kind of community we wish to be.