Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società

By the end of the course, the student will have acquired the basic legal knowledge to understand the functioning and organization of social services in order to manage the process of helping those to whom he/she professionally offers help, with particular attention to the specific needs of the elderly and the promotion of their autonomy and dignity. This includes identifying the sources that recognize social rights, as well as the institutional subjects assigned to the protection of the social rights of the elderly, such as health authorities, local social services, and advocacy associations. Furthermore, the student will be able to relate profitably with the organizations involved in the financing and delivery of social and health services, identifying the competent subjects and the legal instruments that allow access to specific resources and services for the elderly population, such as integrated home care, day centers, and protected residences.

Specifically, the course aims to achieve:

1. Knowledge and understanding skills The teaching provides the fundamentals of legal knowledge necessary to understand the operation and organization of social welfare to participate in the protection of social rights, with an in-depth focus on regulations and policies aimed at ensuring the well-being and protection of the elderly.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding The objective of teaching is to provide students with the legal tools to handle the legal issues inherent in care work, including the ability to address complex cases related to the legal protection of the elderly, the management of vulnerabilities, and the prevention of violence and abuse.

3. Autonomy of judgment The teaching provides the basic knowledge to develop the ability to analyze the institutional dynamics that enable the social worker to fit into the social and health care network, promoting an ethical and professional approach to protecting the rights of the elderly and supporting their families.

The teaching consists of two complementary parts: the study of the constitutional framework of the right to health and social care and national and supranational regulations will be followed by the study of the socio-health organization responsible for the planning, financing, and delivery of health and social services, particularly those intended for dependent individuals, with a specific emphasis on the protection of the elderly and the system's responses to their care and assistance needs.

Specifically, the program will cover:

• Constitutional framework of the right to health protection (Art. 32, Const.) and social assistance (Art. 38, Const.), analyzing how these rights apply and are specifically guaranteed to the elderly population.

• National and supranational principles and sources of social rights, focusing on international and community regulations that promote the rights of the elderly.

• Allocation of legislative powers between state and regions regarding the right to health, health services, care, and social services, examining regional and national policies aimed at supporting dependent elderly individuals.

• National and supranational health organization. Comparing models, with particular attention to integrated care models and best practices for geriatric care.

• Welfare models and the evolution of the national social welfare system, including the analysis of specific benefits and services for the elderly, such as home care and residential facilities.

• Social and health integration, delving into how the integration of services is fundamental to ensuring comprehensive and personalized assistance for frail elderly individuals.

The class schedule will be uploaded to Moodle with the topic and activities indicated. All additional materials to be studied will be uploaded to Moodle. For attending students, all materials for in-class activities will be uploaded, and they should only use Moodle to turn in assignments subject to assessment.

The course is 36 hours in total and each lecture is 4 hours. 

The program is divided between attending and non-attending students.

FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS: All in-class activities are subject to assessment and constitute 25% of the final exam. All material required for the activities and exams will be uploaded onto Moodle. Each week, assignments subject to assessment will be uploaded by students by the deadline indicated for each activity. Moodle should always be checked as it will be used as a communication and information tool. To be considered attending, one must attend at least 8 out of 12 lectures and carry out in-class activities for at least 8 lectures; those who do not reach 8 lectures (and subsequent in-class activities) will automatically be considered non-attending.

FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: Study of A. Pioggia, Diritto sanitario e dei servizi sociali (Healthcare and Social Services Law), and the material on Moodle. Reference manual: A. Pioggia, Diritto sanitario e dei servizi sociali, Torino, 2024.

Compulsory readings:

• Pioggia, L’obiezione di coscienza nei consultori (Conscientious Objection in Family Counseling Centers), Istituzioni del Federalismo, 1, 2015.

• Pioggia, Servizi e disservizi. Piccolo contributo alla ricerca del senso pubblico del servizio (Services and Malfunctions. A Small Contribution to the Search for the Public Meaning of Service), Costituzionalismo.it, 2016.

• Gagliardi, Il sindacato del giudice della Corte costituzionale sull’organizzazione sanitaria tra autonomia regionale e diritto alla salute (The Constitutional Court Judge's Oversight of Healthcare Organization between Regional Autonomy and the Right to Health), 2017.

• Cembrani, Fragilità, vulnerabilità e fine vita. C’è un diritto per la tutela degli anziani vulnerabili? (Fragility, Vulnerability, and End of Life. Is There a Right for the Protection of Vulnerable Elderly?), La Rivista Italiana di Cure Palliative, 25(3), 2023. (Specific article on the protection of the elderly)

• Rossi, Forme della vulnerabilità e attuazione del programma costituzionale (Forms of Vulnerability and Implementation of the Constitutional Program), Rivista AIC, (2), 2017.

• Scarlatti, Soggetti deboli, Costituzione ed istanze della vulnerabilità (Vulnerable Subjects, Constitution and Instances of Vulnerability), La rivista del Gruppo di Pisa, 2023.

Any remote lectures or contributions will be carried out through the Webex conference call platform at the following address: https://unito.webex.com/meet/eugenia.jona.

Examination for attending students:

The final evaluation for attending students will be divided as follows:

• 50% in-class activities: All activities carried out in class are subject to assessment and constitute 50% of the final grade. Activities will be assessed based on the relevance of the answers, the completeness of the research, the wording of the text, the use of sources, and the use of material uploaded for the lessons.

• 50% oral exam: The oral exam will cover all topics discussed during the course.

Examination for non-attending students:

The examination method for non-attending students includes:

1. Multiple-choice quiz for oral exam access: A multiple-choice test of 30 questions to be completed in 35 minutes. The quiz is passed with a score of 18/30 and serves as an eligibility requirement, not an access grade for the oral exam.

2. Comprehensive oral exam: Once the quiz is passed, students will be able to access the comprehensive oral exam, which will cover all course topics.

For students with certifications, the time allotted for the quiz will be 45 minutes, and for the oral exam, the use of concept maps or necessary materials will be permitted.

The oral exam will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• Knowledge and understanding: command of the topics covered in the syllabus, ability to correctly recall principles, rules, and legal institutions.

• Ability to apply knowledge: capacity to use theoretical knowledge to analyse concrete cases concerning the protection of the elderly and the organisation of health and social services.

• Independent judgment and critical thinking: ability to connect different topics, critically assess normative solutions, and develop autonomous reasoning.

• Clarity of expression and legal language: accuracy in the use of legal terminology, coherence of argumentation, clarity, and structure of the exposition.

The final grade (out of 30) will reflect the overall quality of the exam, with particular consideration for:

• relevant and complete answers,

• the ability to establish cross-connections between topics,

• the accurate and appropriate use of legal language.

No specific programme is foreseen for Erasmus students, who are nevertheless invited to contact the lecturer during the teaching period.

The lecturer is available for any clarification via e-mail at eugenia.jona@unito.it and with the reception activity set at the end of class and by appointment.

The Moodle platform will be used for uploading supplementary materials and conducting activities aimed at active learning.

There is a distinction between attending and non-attending students (see Programm and Examination).

Registration on the Esse3 system is required to take the exam.

Student reception is scheduled at the end of the lecture period by appointment via email at:eugenia.jona@unito.it