Conference Program

The challenges associated with ageing with disabilities (AWD), highlight the importance of moving beyond welfare models and adopting measures capable of transforming the expected legislative objectives (Law 227/2021; Legislative Decree 62/2024) into meaningful experiences, resulting in a real improvement in the quality of life (Giaconi, 2015; Schalock & Verdugo, 2006) for individuals and communities. The intentional and continuous construction of a personalised life plan throughout the entire lifespan, which guarantees constant access to fundamental rights (CRPD), is preparatory to the prevention of secondary vulnerabilities for older persons with disabilities, providing a solid basis for identity and relationships. To this end, Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) can be particularly important as they aim to promote experiences that involve not only the motor sphere, but also the emotional and cognitive dimensions of individuals, with positive effects on individual well-being, social participation and the perception of quality of life in older people (Badin et al., 2022; Dincer et al., 2022), suggesting a possible preventive function with regard to the development of frailty. In Italy, The National Guidelines for Animal-Assisted Interventions (Ministry of Health, 2015) define objectives, methods of intervention and the rights of those receiving assistance, highlighting the importance of training and the involvement of various professionals (doctors, veterinarians, educators, animal assistants, etc.), who are essential in forming a team of operators capable of ensuring the effectiveness of the approach on both a therapeutic and educational level. Contact with animals represents an emotional exchange in which the person with disabilities is an active participant, encouraging the rediscovery of residual abilities and openness to the outside world. Starting from these premises, this paper empirically explores the educational role of AAI in fostering an environment conducive to health promotion (World Health Organisation [WHO], 1986), self-determination and inclusion (Del Bianco, 2024), with a particular focus on the path towards ageing with disabilities. The aim is to highlight best practices, the methods adopted and the relational climate that translate current regulations into concrete actions of participatory democracy, focusing on the role of AAI as a possible contribution to strengthening the socio-environmental adaptation skills of participants with disabilities and supporting the transition to old age. The survey documents the activities of a centre specialising in AAI, in particular with horses and dogs, through observation of the intervention settings, interviews, and collecting testimonies from participants and operators, with the intention of providing a choral and authentic narrative that highlights the potential of the proposed approach in preventing vulnerability and combating isolation and early institutionalisation of elderly people with disabilities. The research also aims to offer a critical reflection on the role of the educator, not only as a facilitator of the educational process, but also as a democratic mediator, capable of contributing synergistically, in collaboration with the local community, institutions and families, to Life Projects aimed at guaranteeing dignity and rights to people with disabilities, even in the most advanced stages of life.