Social Housing and Care. Verso una nuova filosofia dell’abitare destinata alla popolazione anziana. Una ricerca sul territorio lombardo

This piece of research is looking into an old people’s home called Synergy, which was developed in Cardano al Campo (VA) in 2014. This facility, which was innovative at the time, was designed to provide elderly care to fully or partially self-reliant people. It was also meant to function as a co-housing residence offering support to people of different ages, as well as custom made services following the blueprint of American Independent and Assisted based Living style facilities. These types of facilities, which have increasingly spread throughout Italy in recent years, may become more and more dominant within the Italian welfare culture. Heavily based on a home, family and nursing care style, they are meant to encourage self-reliance, while trying to delay or prevent any form of physical and/or cognitive impairment, as well as the possibility for elderly people to resort to early nursing care. After an in-depth introduction to the ongoing debate on the concept of “elderly” and on the types of care currently available worldwide, this piece of research examines the work conducted by Synergy through numerous interviews with some guests, caregivers and other insiders. It also aims to conclude that these facilities are best left operating for what may be widely viewed as a good cause despite the lack of adequate financial resources, an arguable cultural heritage and complex relevant regulations.