The Future of Residential Care Facilities: A Testimony That Becomes a Shared Value

Care, Dignity and Community in Residential Care Facilities

Following the publication of our in-depth feature dedicated to the future of residential care, we received a personal testimony from one of our members.

The testimony

“The article dedicated to residential care facilities conveys, very effectively—also through the images—an extremely positive picture of the environment and the human quality that defines it.One photograph in particular stands out: it depicts several elderly people in wheelchairs attending a musical event, a shot capable of conveying tenderness, presence and shared life. In an era marked by increasing longevity and by a human mind that remains plastic and capable of learning even at an advanced age, residential care facilities can—and should—become a central pillar of civil coexistence. Not merely places of assistance, but spaces of relationship, true bridges between generations and communities. These reflections arise from direct and deeply felt personal experience. Perhaps they are simple thoughts, but they are expressed with sincerity and with the hope that they may help us look to the future with greater awareness and humanity. Thank you for being there.”

The testimony is not anonymous; however, we have consciously chosen not to disclose personal details out of respect for privacy, believing that the value of these words lies in their content rather than in the identity of the person who wrote them.

We decided to share it because it authentically and profoundly expresses a vision of residential care facilities as places of life, relationships and dignity, perfectly aligned with the values that PortaleCEM seeks to promote.

This contribution deeply moved us, as it encapsulates—through simple yet powerful words—the most genuine meaning of the transformation currently taking place within residential care facilities.

Residential care facilities are no longer—and must no longer be—perceived solely as places of medical care, but as spaces of life, where relationships, culture, music and participation become an integral part of personal well-being.

In a society marked by increasing longevity, the issue of ageing concerns us all.

Sharing positive experiences, thoughtful perspectives and virtuous models means contributing to the building of a more attentive, inclusive and responsible community.

Il PortaleCEM continuerà a dare spazio a testimonianze, riflessioni ed esperienze capaci di mettere al centro la dignità della persona, in ogni fase della vita. Perché informare significa anche prendersi cura. E perché una comunità cresce quando sa ascoltare.