Closer to citizens: Anti-heat and loneliness Plan
One of the key objectives is to strengthen, particularly in summer months, existing year-round social and home policy assistance for people assisted by the Social Services of the Municipality of Milan. It aims to extend aid activities to a wider range of citizens who, in summer, face increased challenges obtaining support from family members and caregivers. It also seeks to integrate Social Services Access Points to make it easier for fragile citizens and their families to be attended and oriented to services and resources in the area. It strives to offer short and emergency interventions and to support work-life balance for families of elderly citizens and of people with disabilities and/or in situations of fragility. It aims to organise a communication system for monitoring weather conditions to help prevent the effects of heat waves, and to draw up a list of referrals to competent health authorities (ATS) to define individuals’ degree of frailty and health risks.
The ageing of our population is closely linked to loneliness and changing family structures and dynamics. A considerable portion of Milan’s residents are lonely: 45% of families, a figure that is decidedly higher than the Italian average (32%). Eleven per cent of single-parent families qualify as well, situating the real figure at over 50% of the population. From this perspective, this plan to develop citizen welfare commits the Administration to help people, particularly women, to reconcile time for life and work. There is also the prospect of strengthening the relationships networks to respond to the tragedy of ageing in solitude. The anti-heat and -loneliness plan, among other interventions put in place by the Administration, aims to respond to the need for flexible and articulated services for fragile people and their families. This project therefore offers citizens a
system of services from qualified personnel to ensure necessary social assistance and care support so citizens can stay at home even in summer.
Finally, all the activities developed are in line with the Guidelines prepared by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Department of Civil Protection.
Milan