Un enfoque filosófico de la vejez y algunas consideraciones bioéticas

The prolongation of human life is one of the characteristic features of our technological era and establishes a scenario for philosophical questions, some of which begin to find answers in the field of Bioethics. One of the most important is the so-called institutionalisation in prolonged care, or confinement, and the question is whether this is a bioethically correct option. A positive assessment of old age is part of the very roots of Western culture, however in technologically advanced societies it begins to be accompanied by negative nuances. Far from giving a positive value to old age, a new unethical myth has surfaced: that of the «young», «productive» man. Society often deprives the elderly of almost all obligations, relegating them when their work is no longer desired. The bioethical approach to the geriatric patient grants the respect owed to them as human beings instead of pity, compassion or charity. Something similar can be said of hospitalisation, which has been shown to have negative effects on the functional capacity of the elderly. In particular, this practice increases one of the most negative factors in the life of the elderly, loneliness. To combat this loneliness there are some possibilities, the first of which is to put the elderly person in contact with other people. In addition, there are new tools for combatting the loneliness of the elderly: laughter therapy and social robotics. A brief description of these is presented, as a well a discussion on their adoption.