INFORMATION REGARDING VOLUNTARY WORK FOR AGED PERSONS AT THE ASILO VALDESE IN LUSERNA S.G. TURIN –ITALY-
THE ASILO VALDESE, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION BELONGING TO THE VALDENSIAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH, WAS ESTABLISHED MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO TO ASSIST AGED PERSONS.
AT PRESENT IT HAS 96 PLACES FOR NON SELF-SUFFICIENT PERSONS AND 28PLACES FOR PERSONS WHICH ARE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
THE ASILO ALSO HAS AVAILABLE A DAY ROOM FOR ENCOUNTERS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS OF LUSERNA S.G. AS WELL AS NEIGHBORING VILLAGES.
THE ASILO VALDESE IS STAFFED WITH DOCTORS, NURSES, PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, ANIMATORS, AND PERSONAL ASSISTANTS, AS WELL AS KITCHEN, CLEANING, MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.
MANY LOCAL, AS WELL AS SOME FOREIGN VOLUNTEERS ASSIST THE ASILO FOR SIMPLE EVERYDAY SERVICES.
VOLUNTEERS ARE OFFERED A COMFORTABLE ACCOMODATION SITUATED NOT FAR (800M) FROM THE ASILO. THE FLAT HAS TWO SINGLE BEDROOMS AND ONE DOUBLE, A BATHROOM, A DINING ROOM WITH A TV AND STEREO. THERE IS ALSO A KITCHEN WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE TO PREPARE BREAKFAST AND SMALL SNACKS. LUNCH AND DINNER ARE AVAILABLE AT THE ASILO. A WASHING MACHINE IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR LAUNDERING PERSONAL CLOTHES WHEREAS THE BED SHEETS ARE WASHED BY THE ASILO INSTITUTE DURING THEIR STAY.
A BICYCLE IS MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR USE DURING THEIR STAY.
THE ASILO GUARANTEES ROOM AND BOARD (7 DAYS PER WEEK) AS WELL AS LAUNDRY SERVICES AND CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR THE FLAT AS WELL AS PERSONAL. VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUESTED TO MAINTAIN THE FLAT CLEAN AND ORDERLY.
THE ASILO VALDESE IS LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE VILLAGE OF LUSERNA SAN GIOVANNI, WHICH IS HOME FOR 8,000 INHABITANTS.
LUSERNA S.G., AT 462 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, IS LOCATED IN NORTHERN ITALY ABOUT 50 KMS S.W. OF TURIN (17 KMS FROM PINEROLO) IN THE REGION OF PIEDMONT. IT LAYS AT THE FOOT OT THE PELLICE VALLEY, WHICH NEIGHBORS THE FRENCH BORDER. THE ENTIRE VALLEY CONSISTS OF 9 COMUNITIES INCLUDING 25,000 INHABITANTS.
THE PELLICE VALLEY, TOGETHER WITH OTHER TWO VALLEYS (VAL GERMANASCO AND VAL CHISONE) ARE KNOWN AS THE “WALDENSIAN” VALLEYS AND SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES HAVE BEEN THE CENTER OF THE WALDENSIAN MOVEMENT WHICH GAVE BIRTH TO THE PROTESTANT RELIGION IN THE ITALIAN PENINSULA.
THIS IMPORTANT FACT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO INCREASED TOURISM IN THE AREA AS WELL AS DEVELOPING A SOCIAL/ CULTURAL CONDITION FOR FACILITATING VOLUNTEER WORK IN THE WALDENSIAN ORGANIZATION.
VOLUNTEER SERVICE IS FOR FIVE DAYS PER WEEK (NORMALLY FROM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY), 7 TO 7-1/2 HOURS PER DAY. THE HOURS MAY BE OF TWO TYPES, ONE WITH STARTING TIME AT 8:30 AND ENDING AT 15:30. THE OTHER BEGINNING AT 10:30 AND ENDING AT 17:30.
DURING THE NORMAL WORKING HOURS THE VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE SUPPORTING SERVICE FOR “ANIMATION”, “PHYSIOTHERAPY”, “DAY-CENTER” OR ACCORDING TO A PROGRAM OF ACTIVITY TO BE DECIDED WITH THE RESPONSIBLE SERVICE STAFF.
THE TYPES OF DUTIES THAT THE VOLUNTEER WORKERS MAY FOLLOW IN THE VARIOUS AREAS OF THE ASILO ARE DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: DEVELOPING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AGED PERSONS ON A ONE-TO-ONE BASIS AIMED AT DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING A SOCIAL/HUMAN AWARENESS.
- HELPING, DURING MEALTIME, THOSE PERSONS WHICH ARE HANDICAPPED IN FEEDING THEMSELVES AUTONOMOUSLY.
- PARTICIPATE IN ANIMATING GROUP ACTIVITY OF A HANDICRAFT WORKSHOP (WHERE SMALL FIGURES AND OBJECTS ARE CREATED BY THE AGED PERSONS) AS WELL AS A MUSICAL THERAPY LABORATORY.
- ASSISTING THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST IN GROUP ACTIVITY OF “SOFT” GYMNASTICS.
- ASSIST IN SERVING THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON “BREAK” (COFFEE, TEA, FRUIT JUICE…) TO THE AGED PERSONS.
- COOPERATE IN THE CONDUCTING OF CULTURAL AND MUSICAL PRESENTATIONS HELD WITHIN THE ASILO BY SINGLE PERSONS, GROUPS AND CHOIRS.
- PARTICIPATE IN TOURS WITH GUESTS AND OPERATORS OF THE ASILO LASTING APPROXIMATELY A HALF DAY.
IT IS TO BE EMPHASIZED THAT ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES LISTED ABOVE WILL BE ORGANIZED AND OPERATED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PERSONNEL IN SERVICE IN THE VARIOUS AREAS OF THE ASILO ALONG WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE TUTORS, WHILE ATTEMPTING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO INVOLVE THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE PLANNING OF THE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN.
PERIODICALLY THE SERVICE PROGRAM WILL BE REORGANIZED TOGETHER WITH THE TUTOR TO PERMIT THE VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES BY A PLAN OF ROTATION.
