Llambi Gjordeni sits every morning on the concrete steps of the Sphinx in Durres and throws a plastic rod with a hook at the end into the sea. Uncle Llambi, as he is called, has just turned 93, but his schedule has been set for two decades.
"I come to fish because I can't stay at the club all day. I've never stayed," says the old man, calling his fishing rod "my friend."
After a lifetime of working, Gjorden finds it difficult to stay locked up at home. He says his father sent him to Tirana to work at the age of 11, while he spent his adult life working in the oil sector in Kuçova, before moving to Durrës after his daughter's marriage.
At the age of 93, Gjorden divides his life between his daily activities and caring for his sick wife. While his two sons work far away, one in France and the other in Ksamil.
While the age limits of old age are being pushed further and further, seniors like Gjordeni continue to be active in society and contribute to their families.
According to psychologist Elton Kuqja, many other seniors continue to challenge stereotypes through their curiosity to discover new things, their desire to contribute to society and family, and their passion for new projects.
One of them is Nelo Lukaçi, the 88-year-old sculptor, who has worked as a restorer at the Archaeological Museum of Durrës since 1968.
It took Lukacs several years to overcome the crisis caused by the loss of his wife to Alzheimer's disease. Most of his drawings, paintings, and stone works are dedicated to his wife Sanie, whose absence he constantly feels.
In the small courtyard of the studio, in one of the suburban neighborhoods of Durrës, the stones that are still unlaid are arranged, while inside the studio the completed works are found in the same way.
"I have never worked on commission, but I have only sat down to carve when I have deeply understood the character," says the 88-year-old sculptor, who has been awarded several times in the past in national competitions.
Even today, Lukaçi does not use plaster molds or pantographs, trusting his intuition to create the future relief. The sculptor's life has not been easy in recent years, as his small family lives on his pension of 30 thousand lek.
But he calls himself lucky, saying that his sons take care of him as if they were daughters.
He never misses a day in the studio, where he says he “forgets his troubles and feels good.” Lukaçi is also not separated from the kitchen.
A few days ago, he completed "Sleeping Beauty," a woman's head carved from pumice. His 12-year-old niece, Leopoldina, also a young painter, often comes to the studio.
Even Dashamir Janina doesn't give up, as his walk ends every day at the coast. Along the way, he often meets friends and comrades.
"We have few old sailors left," says the 92-year-old, also head of the national maritime association "Adrijon".
A few years ago, Janina published the book "My Life Among the Sea People", but his mission is not over. He continues to collect old stories of sailors, with whom he has crossed the seas for many years.
Even Ali Bardheti, now 94 years old and the father-in-law of the author of this article, comes down from the fifth floor and gathers in a cafe with his friends whenever his legs feel good. Just like in his youth, he doesn't take off his tie.
Having worked a lifetime as a radio technician, Bardheti does not allow his children to touch the radio or the electrical objects with which he practices from time to time.
"When an older person has projects and goals, they feel needed, maintain motivation for the next day, and perceive themselves as still active and productive," says psychologist Kuqja.
"All of this creates a positive feeling about life in general," the psychologist concludes.
