Clínica del trapasso generazionale. L'anziano, la morte, la memoria riconoscente

The contemporary social scenario is characterized by radical changes involving the generational exchanges: Longer life extension is associated with decreased birth rate in several Western countries. Thus, the clinical intervention has to deal with new social realities and relational dramas, such as the “Long Term Care” of older family members affected by different types of chronic disease (e.g., Parkinson and Alzheimer disease). In this article the illness and the death of elderly family members are discussed on the basis of the Symbolic-Relational Model, which emphasizes the importance of family ties as resources to deal with pain and grief. This model involves a psycho-anthropological point of view and a research method consistent with a generational perspective focused on life transitions, which are meant as both individual and relational events. The aim of such research is to treat the family crisis by identifying the resources characterizing the family body, which is considered as an exchange between multiple generations.