Abbeyfield Italy
The Abbeyfield Italia Society was established at the end of 1991, after a successful visit to a few Abbeyfield Homes near London by two Rotarians involved in the Community Service Committee of the Lombardy Rotary Club District. They recommended the adoption of the Abbeyfield conceipt. They also confirmed their support to the initiative and to the "silver keys" project aimed to confirm in action the viability of the proposed Residential Care homes method for lonely elders.
The National Society completed the initial project and proved the efficiency of the method. Two Regional Societies are active in Lombardy and Piedmont and run four Miniresidences (as we prefer to call our Houses) with the support mainly of Rotary and Inner Wheel Service Club Members. The Societies act directly or with Partners such as Charities, Trusts or Social Services committed to similar aims and principles.
For the first urban Miniresidence the Milan Social Services provided a flat rent-free on the eight floor of an apartment block in a suburban area. Refurbished with Society members' generosity it became operative since 1998 for six elderly residents.
Our second Miniresidence for 9 Residents and a living in housekeeper, was purpose built by a generous local builder in Montecastello, in a rural setting overlooking the plain of Alessandria (Piedmont). It operates successfully since 2001 with a House Committee in partnership with a Consortium of Social Services of small towns of the area. (a photo of our depliant could be used )
The third house caters for ten Residents in San Fiorano near Lodi (Lombardy), a rural 15th Century small village. The building, previously a Maternal School, is provided rent free by the Municipality. It was converted by a local Trust in 2007. The house Committee operates in partnership with them.
A forth Miniresidence house for ten Residents was completed at the end 2008 by the local Municipality of Liscate, near Milan. It will be provided rental-free.
The multilevel house is owned by the municipality. In the building there are a number of facilities for the Liscate citizens: an auditorium (or large conference room), an area for nursery/kindergarten, an area for senior citizens (hobbies and play ground). Two floors are free leased to Abbeyfield for our residents: on one floor there are 5 individual small apartments (bedroom, bathroom, small living room and kitchenette, terrace) plus common very large kitchen and dining room. On the other floor there are the same number of small apartments and general lounges, reading room and TV room. In the cellar there is space for individual clothes storage.
The future
Abbeyfield Miniresidences appear more attractive and suitable for Areas where small communities have stronger feeling of common roots. In urban Areas more elders live alone but remain in their homes and rely on support from their neighbours or some relations.
For further information contact:
Marco De Gasperi
Associazione Abbeyfield Italia
Piazzale Baracca 2
20123 Milano
Italy
website: www.abbeyfield.it
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