The CRI project for the elderly in RSA, 450 assisted with digital literacy, is underway

Four hundred and fifty elderly people assisted, over 15 Rsa beneficiaries in seven regions and 10 territorial committees involved from Catania to Turin, passing through Venice, Aprilia and Casal di Principe. These are the numbers of the brand new pilot project of the Italian Red Cross born in times of pandemic to shorten the distance between hospitalized patients and relatives and to overcome with technological innovation the social isolation of those hospitalized in nursing homes, severely affected by Covid- 19 for the vulnerability and fragility of the people hosted and for the organizational difficulties encountered in the attempt to reduce the risk of infections. (VIDEO https://we.tl/t-HdVAv3Txbb) “Since the beginning of the pandemic we have dealt with loneliness in all its forms – explains Francesco Rocca, President of the Italian Red Cross and Ifrc to Adnkronos – The lockdown had everyone was forced into forced isolation, but the elderly were affected by the situation often dramatically. We have tried to be close to them with ready-to-eat and drug-ready services, with psychological support and telecompagnia. Today we are pleased to be able to support RSA guests through this new project throughout the country, supported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Ifrc), so that the pandemic of loneliness resulting from Covid-19 can continue to be concretely contrasted “. According to a survey conducted by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in over 1,300 Rsa, out of 9,154 deceased, 680 (7.4%) had tested positive for the swab and 3,092 (or 33.8%) had presented symptoms flu-like, but had not been swab. Precisely in order to protect the physical health of the elderly and preserve them from the imminent risk of infectious it was therefore necessary to interrupt contacts with the outside – relatives and friends – thus depriving them of affections and psychological support. Measures that have inevitably caused “side effects” on the population of patients residing in the RSA: social isolation and loneliness are among the main risk factors that can contribute to a poor psychophysical state of health and a greater risk of depression and anxiety. of the Italian Red Cross for “digital literacy” was created precisely to improve the quality of life of guests in nursing homes, favoring direct conversations with their families, volunteers and the outside world, promoting digital and recreational learning activities and reducing social distances and feelings of loneliness, respecting the safety and protection of people. Funded by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (Ifrc), the project will initially see the involvement of 10 Red Cross Committees (Turin, Catania, Venice, Aprilia, Pesaro, Casal di Principe, Alto Casertano and Matesino, Paderno Dugnano, Loreto and Mascalucia) and subsequently can be replicated in other contexts. (by Silvia Mancinelli)