At Villa San Benito Menni, the Nucleo Rosso supports people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia through the GentleCare® model, placing the person, their life story, their well-being and support for their families at the heart of care.
Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia means much more than addressing a clinical condition. It means acknowledging a life story, providing support in a situation of vulnerability, supporting a family and creating an environment that can offer protection and reassurance while upholding each person’s dignity.
This is the spirit that guides the Nucleo Rosso (Red Unit, in English) at Villa San Benito Menni. This dedicated space provides care for people with moderate to severe dementia and significant behavioural difficulties, offering them a safe, protected environment free of architectural barriers, where they can move around freely and receive personalised care.
The Nucleo Rosso applies the GentleCare® model, developed by occupational therapist Moyra Jones. This is a care approach that places the person’s well-being and relationships at the centre, integrating the physical environment, everyday activities and different ways of providing support. Its aim is to promote, as far as possible, autonomy in daily activities, reduce distress and foster a quality of life that respects each person’s needs, pace and abilities.
Care is provided by a multidisciplinary team made up of doctors, nursing professionals, social workers, psychologists, activity coordinators, healthcare professionals and physiotherapists. This is a shared effort that focuses not only on the person receiving care, but also involves their families, supporting them as they come to terms with the disease, providing information and accompanying them throughout this process.
This approach was at the heart of the event “Anche i sassi diventano fiori se li usi con gentilezza” (“Even stones become flowers when you treat them with kindness”), promoted by the Hospitaller Sisters together with the Municipality of Albese con Cassano and held on 29 May at the Fabio Casartelli Civic Centre. During the event, professionals from the Nucleo Rosso shared their experience of applying the GentleCare® model, encouraging dialogue among professionals, families and the wider community.
One of the most significant moments was the presentation of the inspection certificate issued by CSQA Certificazioni Srl, recognising the work carried out by the professionals of the Nucleo Rosso over the years, their commitment to ongoing training and their continued dedication to a culture of care based on personalised interventions, respect for the individual and the quality of relationships.
The event also featured an exhibition of works created by residents of the facility as part of the art therapy workshop. The exhibition provided a tangible demonstration of the expressive and creative abilities that can continue to develop and be valued, even in situations of greater vulnerability.
Villa San Benito Menni’s commitment is also reflected in awareness-raising initiatives aimed at the wider community, such as the event “Persone oltre la memoria” (“People Beyond Memory”), organised to explore what Alzheimer’s disease is, how it manifests itself, which care and support strategies can be adopted, and how to support family members and caregivers.
Along this journey, caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia becomes a concrete expression of the Hospitality that characterises the mission of the Hospitaller Sisters: a Hospitality that brings together science and charity, professionalism and tenderness, specialised care and human presence.
At the Nucleo Rosso, every everyday gesture is a reminder that the person always comes before the disease. Because even when memory becomes fragile, dignity, connection and the profound need to be heard, welcomed and loved remain.
