MESSINA – The Rotary club Stretto di Messina, under the leadership of president Antonio Albanese, organized a very important event to recognize and enhance the figure of the family caregiver. The meeting, entitled “I take care of you”, saw the participation of illustrious speakers, including the Honorable Giuseppe Laccoto, promoter of Law 21 March 2024, n. 5 and Professor Vittorio Lenzo of the University of Catania, expert in Dynamic Psychology. The law, as exposed by the Honorable Laccoto and highlighted by the moderator, Dr. Agata Labate, recognizes and enhances the figure of the family caregiver within the welfare policies of the Sicily region. This figure carries out a non-professional and free care activity for those who need assistance in case of illness, infirmity and serious disability.
The law recognizes the social and economic value deriving from this figure, promoting family solidarity and the integration of the activity provided with the integrated network of social and socio-health services. Furthermore, it defines the methods for the integration of the caregiver within the regional system of social, socio-health and healthcare services, encouraging reintegration training courses. Professor Lenzo effectively illustrated the importance of the caregiver figure, mainly represented by women of various ages. He underlined the critical issues that can arise during a treatment process and even after its end, which can be the basis of a complicated mourning, now configured as a truly codified psychopathological picture.
The moderator underlined the importance of creating a social-health network, raising awareness of the needs of the incurably ill and of those who take care of them. She concluded the event by underlining the importance of caring and providing relief, involving both the patient and those around him, to ensure that no one is left alone in pain. Also present at the event were Senator Nino Germanà, Dr. Emilia Rotondo, president of the Third Municipal Commission, the lawyer. Salvatore Papa, president of the First Municipal Commission, and councilor Giulia Restuccia. The Rotary Club Stretto di Messina continues to send a strong signal, supporting the awareness campaign for the incurably ill and their families, promoting a series of projects and initiatives. Law n°5/2024 lays increasingly solid foundations to ensure all this.
The Rotary Club Stretto di Messina, with the support of the Sisifo – Pallium – awareness campaign for the incurably ill and their families on the occasion of palliative care day, is sending a signal, a message on the rights of care and on all the services that revolve around incurability. The projects include the drafting of a handbook for simple consultation with links that lead from the immediate post-diagnosis of incurability, DAT offices, awareness and local promotion campaigns with dedicated days such as caregiver day and relief day, training for schools through high-impact communication media such as cinema; the promotion of self-help groups and trained volunteers.
The event was organized close to the national day of relief because taking care of giving relief must be something that involves everyone, both the sick person and those who are nearby, giving help to those who take care so that no one is left alone in pain and law n°5 /2024 lays increasingly solid foundations to ensure all this.
