Not only assistance” “

Various projects aimed not just at assisting, but enhancing the elderly are being run by the European Catholic Churches and Institutions. Some examples: Poland “In Poland great respect is shown for the elderly and attempts are being made to enhance their role, at the ecclesial level, in the various parish activities, in aid to the poor, the sick, in looking after children in the parishes and so on”, says Father Adam Schultz, spokesman of the Polish Episcopal Conference. “There are various groups, associations and movements that have as their specific task that of assisting and enhancing the role of the elderly – explains Father Schultz – and a national meeting is scheduled for the autumn to review the situation. In particular, Polish Caritas deals with those situations of hardship involving poor and uncared for elderly persons living alone. Of course, there’s still a lot more to be done to respond to the many needs of the elderly. But great attention is being devoted to them”. In Poland, moreover, there are legal provisions that recognize the role and structures of the Church as regards assistance to the elderly. After the “fall of the wall”, in fact, the State and the Polish Catholic Church reached an agreement with the recognition of the juridical personality of various ecclesial organizations working in the national territory: the basic law is no. 154 of 17 May 1989, with the name “Relation of the State with the Catholic Church”. Italy “The condition of the elderly may be simultaneously tackled on various fronts, but the root of the problems they pose is cultural. A culture that identifies in the elderly a person with real parity of rights and duties needs to be developed and diffused”. The Centre of Promotion and Development of Geriatric Assistance (CEPSAG) is pursuing this objective within the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Rome campus). “It’s not only a question of providing assistance – explains the Centre’s website, www.cpsag.org –, but also giving the elderly the opportunity to make choices and enjoy independence in daily life”. CEPSAG was approved as University Centre of the Faculty in 1989. It has two main activities: the first is in the publishing field, to “develop practical aids for those who work in the field”; the second, formative, “aimed at nurses, social workers and volunteers”. The activities planned for 2003 include refresher courses, from 12 to 14 May and from 20 to 22 October, on the new strategies of care in the geriatric sector; and study days on “Education in ageing, animation and occupational therapy” (22/24 September) and on the theme “Assisting the victims of Alzheimer’s disease” (24/26 November). For further information: tel. 0039/06/3015.4916; email: informa@cepsag.org. Turkey Its benefactors include the Sultans Abdulmecit and Abdulaziz, and various European emperors, kings and arch-dukes: it is the ‘Artisans’ charity founded by Giacomo Anderlich in 1838 with the aim of providing a home for the artisans of European origin who were working in the Ottoman Empire, and in particular in Constantinople, but who then fell on hard times. Today the charity looks after some 200 elderly persons aged from 65 to 97. It’s the only institution run by lay people under the aegis of the Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul and expresses “the Turkish Church’s devotion to the needs of the elderly”. In a perfect ecumenical spirit, the home opens its doors to Catholics, Armenians, Orthodox, Jews and Muslims. “We provide them with board and lodging, and everything they need – explains the charity – in exchange for a small sum of money, depending on their means; a sum that is far from covering the real costs incurred”. These are in effect covered by the voluntary contributions offered by the 375 members of the association, which in recent years has improved the conditions of the building that houses the elderly; they occupy 89 rooms subdivided on three floors. A computer, lounge and TV room and weekly medical checks are also provided.