“We simply listen, we listen to the fears of people living in the last days of their lives, the fear of leaving a child or a husband, a mother or maybe a brother, or the fear of dying”. They are the words of Stephanie Benelli69 years old, for 12 years she has been a volunteer at the “Fiore di Primavera” hospice in Prato on behalf of File (Italian foundation of soothing therapy). Previously you were an employee, now you are retired and have decided to spend a few hours a week in the hospice to talk to patients.
«It is important – Stefania added – to accompany these people on their journey, when they are aware of being at the end of their lives and have an extreme need to tell their stories, they go over their lives, their families and their past. These are stories that are not always easily accepted by their family members because in this phase there is a lot of pain, and therefore paradoxically the patients open up much more to us volunteers».
Many memories and anecdotes that Stefania can tell in these years of experience in the hospice: «Once I was silent for long minutes with a patient, while I shook his hand». And then again: «Another time a lady expressed her wish to get married and her wish was fulfilled. She got married in the hospice and we volunteers prepared the bouquet for her ».
Among the volunteers at the Prato hospice there is also Antonio De Luca, 67 years old, retired, former civil engineer at the Municipality of Prato. “It fascinates me to listen to people’s stories, in difficult moments like those at the end of life, the most intimate and human part comes out, I listen to stories of lives, of memories”. An important experience not only for those who receive it: «I am aware that I am doing good for the sick, but I am also doing good for myself, since I started this voluntary service I have discovered another person inside me, I have discovered an unexpected introspection, before I was an introvert, but now I can relate to others with ease». Inside the hospice, says Antonio, “there is not only pain, I also see serenity in it, life is beautiful but we must be aware that life has a natural end, here, perhaps this awareness is perceived in here”.
For twenty years, the Foundation Italian lenitherapy File witnessed more than 30 thousand people, for a total of 136,656 between visits and consultations carried out, including psychological interventions for their families, in the cities of Florence and Prato, at home, in hospices and in the hospitals of both the Local Health Authority Toscana Centro and the University Hospital of Careggi.
The Foundation has been able to achieve all of this thanks to its multi-disciplinary teams, currently made up of 22 health professionals (including doctors, nurses, psychologists, social and health workers and physiotherapists) and 80 volunteers specially trained in assistance who take care of the sick person and his family.
File health teams and volunteers accompany those who cannot heal in a personalized treatment path, in which pain and physical suffering are soothed, without neglecting the psychological, relational, social, spiritual aspects. Families are also cared for and receive help in often complex care pathways, both during the illness and in the painful phase following the loss. Services such as psychological support, even for the youngest, and meetings with self-help groups can sometimes make a difference and support these people in the difficult ordeal they are facing. In particular, the 5 self-help groups for mourning have welcomed around 600 people since 2009 (the year of their creation). Recently, these groups have also formed an online forum, counting 30 active appearances.
Opening photo, the volunteer Antonio De Luca