Volunteers with disabilities accompany elderly people thanks to the Respirávila organization, promoted by the "la Caixa" Foundation

Every two weeks, Adrián and Daniel, two young men with intellectual disabilities, volunteer at a nursing home in Ávila to spend the afternoon with Luisa and Luciano, two elderly people who are single and have no close family. They do this thanks to the support of Respirávila and its project. I also do volunteer workSelected in the 2024 Castilla y León Social Projects Call for Proposals by the "la Caixa" Foundation. Coinciding with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, their story invites us to change our perspective: to move from seeing people with disabilities as mere recipients of aid to recognizing them as citizens with full rights and the capacity to assist others.

The four meet every other Wednesday at the same place, the nursing home in the city of Avilés, which is run by the Regional Government of Castilla y León. Adrián Casado and Daniel García work as volunteers, and their job is to spend time with Luisa and Luciano. And also to make sure they have a good time. Up to this point, it's a story that is repeated in many towns and cities. What distinguishes it from the others is that Adrián and Daniel are people with intellectual disabilities. "We always see people with intellectual disabilities as recipients of help and not as people who can help. That's why the most important thing about this project is the change in perspective," explains Elena Unquiles Cobos, coordinator at Respirávila. This project is supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation's Social Projects Grants, which since their inception in 1999 have supported more than 23,500 projects nationwide, reaching over 10 million people. The project has been running for three years and involves 16 volunteers, in addition to the association's technical team and five personal assistants who attend to the volunteers' individual needs and help them carry out tasks that promote their autonomy and enhance their abilities.

With the motto "Everyone has something valuable to contribute," the volunteers, aged between 18 and 40, not only accompany elderly people experiencing loneliness, but also volunteer at animal shelters, food banks, and charity markets.

Well-being for both parties

"The benefit is mutual. The volunteers combat loneliness among the elderly because the afternoon they spend at the residence offers a break from their routines. But loneliness doesn't only affect the elderly; there are many people with intellectual disabilities for whom these activities are also the best antidote to their own loneliness. They don't know what resources exist, they don't know how to access them, and this volunteering gives them other opportunities," Elena explains.