Outside in the sprawling property of the San Francisco de Paula Home for Elderly Women in the La Vibora neighborhood of #Havana, green and yellow crotons and two-story palms lined walkways connecting one building to the next. Mango trees dropped their ripe fruit to the ground. 102 women, ages 70 to 91, will likely live out their final years here. More than 1.4 million Cubans have fled the island in recent years, leaving behind thousands of older adults – and #Cuba is struggling with what to do with them. The Catholic Church has stepped in as a de-facto safety net. Many of these older Cubans end up at the home, which is overseen by the church and run by Sister Cecilia María Fuentes Ávila. “It’s like a downward spiral,” Fuentes, 63, said in an interview with USA TODAY at the facility. “A decline that hasn't hit bottom yet but is becoming more difficult by the day.” 📸: Angelo Mastrascusa, for USA TODAY Read the full story at the link in our bio.