WANDERERS, WANDERING LIVES AND AGING

Abstract

This article focuses on the intersectionality between the aging process and the living conditions of road walkers – people who abandoned the sedentary urban life and deserted to the highways, starting to live as wanderers, walking daily on the shoulders and staying overnight under bridges and viaducts or in some corner of gas stations and restaurants where,  Also, they get food donation. The research was guided by the following questions: what is the experience of aging on the road, as a wanderer? What are the main problems, challenges and perspectives? Walkers of all age groups, including those over 60 years old, were interviewed on the shoulders of highways. The results indicate that there is a perception, among them, of premature aging, but they are not concerned with aging. They think of abandoning life on the road only when they can no longer walk, surrendering to any destination, such as an institution for the elderly, or even to death itself.