Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (RSA) and contagion-related fragilities in Italy

According to the statements of the WHO Regional Director for Europe, as of April 23, 2020, nearly 50% global Covid-19 cases have occurred in the European region—over 1.2 million—and over 110,000 people have lost their lives. Of these, nearly half were residents of long-term residential care facilities. Data in Italy plot a similar trend, which highlights the severe strain placed on the health care system by the spread of the virus. This study investigates the distribution of RSAs (Nursing and Residential Care Facilities) in Italy relative to the elderly population. It surveys a range of care models to reflect on their effectiveness in times of epidemics using official statistical sources that are cross-referenced via reflexive cartography. During the first wave of the Covid-19 epidemic (February–June 2020), RSA facilities were especially vulnerable to viral diffusion. This leads us not only to reflect on the effectiveness of their setup, but to question the very model of elderly care they uphold. The aim is to adopt strategies that may improve the lives of RSA patients and provide viable preventative tools against other possible epidemics.