Accompagnare con la propria presenza una persona anziana: un’esperienza di volontariato presso la Comunità “Le Civette” di Firenze.

From October 2015 to March 2016 the study group “Il Pupazzo di Garza” of the LAPO ONLUS Association, conducted a phenomenologic- hermeneutic study with a group of volunteers of the AVO ONLUS Associa- tion, which are serving at the Residential Care Home for elderly people “Le Civette” in Florence. This one is located within the area that was occupied by the historical psychiatric hospital of San Salvi, and is hosting, among oth- er elderly residents, some patients that where not able to leave when the hos- pital was definitly closed in the nineties. The aim of the study is to investi- gate the life experience of the assistence and voluntary service with elderly people in this very peculiar setting. In line with the hermeneutic phenome- nologic approach, the volunteers were individually interviewed; the recorded material underwent content analysis. The emerging results have been ana- lysed and ordered in phenomenologic cathegories. A complex picture emerg- es from the results, showing how volunteers do face the loss experience con- nected the assistence of elderly people. At the mean time they appear to be supported by the quality of the relationship that they have wih the residents: reciprocal respect, gratitude and genuine affection are among the most rele- vant aspects of this bond.