Reframing vulnerability, reframing connectivity. Italian older adults’ narratives of the pandemic and its aftermath in a longitudinal perspective

Ageing offers a critical lens for examining crisis, vulnerability, and digital transformation. The Covid-19 pandemic reshaped discourses on ageing, presenting both challenges and opportunities. We contribute to the debate by analysing the pandemic and post-pandemic narratives of older adults, based on longitudinal research conducted in Northern Italy with individuals over 65. The study shows how participants faced contradictory social norms and discourses, e.g., balancing independence with the need for protection or remaining active while avoiding unnecessary risks. Findings highlight the complex interplay between narratives of vulnerability, agency, and evolving social roles in the context of digital practices. The conclusion challenges traditional deficit-based views of ageing, advocating for a more nuanced perspective that recognises the diversity of older adults’ experiences. This approach emphasises the need to redefine ageing, moving beyond polarised notions of withdrawal or perpetual adaptation and engagement, to recognise the diversity of later-life experiences.