SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED
All services and benefits for the disabled are available to foreigners registered in the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale). The first step is to apply for the recognition of l’invalidità (civil disability) through Azienda Unita’ Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) or your family doctor/GP (medico di base). After a medical visit, a commission will evaluate the status and qualification of the disability.
See this page for general information on disabilities.
https://www.inps.it/it/it/sostegni-sussidi-indennita/per-disabili-invalidi-inabili.html
The Comune of Bologna offers economic help in many aspects of everyday life:
https://www.comune.bologna.it/informazioni/sostegno-economico-persone-con-disabilita
Other financial assistance and tax relief may be available – detailed information can be obtained from a booklet available at the INPS website at www.agenziaentrate.gov.it.
For children with disabilities there is a lot of special care available. For those children who attend the public school system this may include a personalized learning plan (Il piano educativo individualizzato or PEI), permission to use diagrams or more time during school tests, or if needed, a personal educator (insegnante di sostegno) that attends class together with the student or takes them to a separate classroom for personalized activities. This is for both psychological and physical disabilities. Some public schools in the area are better equipped than others to deal with the children and their educators because of the logistics (modern building versus old medieval building) or experience.
To be able to get support (including for dyslexia and similar challenges), the children need to be evaluated by a specialist from the AUSL after which they receive a ‘certificate’ that guarantees the right to extra help.
See this page for info on how and where to get this certificate:
https://www.ausl.bologna.it/guida-ai-servizi/luoghi/15014/291239
and this for the official information on students with disabilities:
https://www.miur.gov.it/alunni-con-disabilita
For an overview of different rights and options:
University students with disabilities also have the right to economic help and special services such as a tutore who may offer help to review study material or accompany a student to class.
https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it
It should be noted that there is a difference between ‘civil disability’ and ‘handicap’ and the two categories translate into different benefits. ‘Handicap’ and ‘Severe Handicap’ are defined by law and are based on the disadvantages a disabled person encounters from interaction with his or her environment.
Other useful websites:
www.disabili.com ⇒ general information
www.accaparlante.it ⇒ Center for Documentation on Handicap
www.handylex.org ⇒ information on legislation
www.asphi.it ⇒ Association for Developing Projects to Reduce a Handicap by Means of Information Technology
www.ausilioteca.org ⇒ Center for Technical Aids (also in English)
ELDERCARE & HOSPICE ASSISTANCE
The city of Bologna and many volunteer and professional organizations help elderly people or people of the ‘terza età’ stay independent and living at home for as long as possible since nursing homes are extremely expensive and not always readily available.
Some general information offered by the city can be found here: https://www.assistenzaanzianibologna.net/
To request home assistance with getting dressed, bathing and medical supplies after a hospital stay, visit the following link:
https://www.comune.bologna.it/servizi/salute-benessere-assistenza/assistenza-domiciliare
The Croce Rossa or Red Cross of Bologna offers, for a modest fee, a transport service, using cars and ambulances, to people with reduced mobility. This service is called CRI per Te (Croce Rossa Italia for you). For information and reservations call the toll-free number 800 192744, Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, or write to criperte@cribo.it or directly on the form at https://www.cribo.it/attivita/cri-per-te/ Similar services, including medical supplies delivery and grocery shopping, are offered free of charge to those in need by the volunteers of the City of Bologna Public Assistance. For more information, see: https://www.pacb.it/index.php?a=home
If there is need for more continuous help, either temporarily or permanently, you can hire a badante (caretaker) on either a part-time, full-time or live-in basis.
There are many organizations that provide intermediation while hiring a badante. These caretakers are usually not qualified nurses so they can help with everyday tasks, but not with specialized medical care. Make sure the badante is in regola (legitimate contract). It is not easy to organize 24 /7 care for someone using badanti, as they will need to have time off and will go on vacation in summer; typically, you’ll need more than one to cover 24/7 year-round and this may become very complicated and expensive.
Alternatively, there are nursing homes. Many are private structures called case di riposo (rest homes). These facilities range from basic care to extremely elegant and costly.
You may qualify for a Casa residenza per anziani (CRA), the nursing homes managed by the city – https://www.comune.bologna.it/servizi/salute-benessere-assistenza/casa-residenza-anziani. In order to find out if you have the necessary requisites, you’ll need to go to the Sportello sociale of the quartiere where you have your residency, get an interview with the assistente sociale and then apply for the Lista unica cittadina. Unfortunately, the waiting lists are rather long and may take a long time.
An example of a high-end private nursing home is La CASA RESIDENZA ANZIANI “Madre Teresa di Calcutta” with medical assistance 24/7 all year long as well as social activities.
Contact
Coordinatore Responsabile Dott.ssa Elisabetta Mogianesi Bedosti
Via Altura 9/7 – 40139 Bologna
Telefono 051 6204111
Fax 051 6204188
E-mail: centralino.madreteresa@ancoraservizi.info
Both in- and outside the nursing homes there are day centers or centri diurni where older people can spend the day under supervision, socializing while doing activities.
You will need to apply for the ones sponsored by the comune:
https://www.comune.bologna.it/servizi/salute-benessere-assistenza/centro-diurno-specializzato-anziani
Some structures accept both private applications, as well as those who have qualified for city–supported day care (accreditati by city of Bologna and AUSL). See for example:
https://www.societadolce.it/centro-diurno-per-anziani-il-melograno/
The Hospices in Bentivoglio, Bellaria and Casalecchio offer care and support for terminal patients and their families.
https://www.fondhs.org/hospice-bellaria/
Other useful websites
www.anziani.it
www.fondazioneleonardo.it
www.informanziani.it
www.terzaeta.com
www.unitre.net