DONNE DELL’EST – OPIEKUNKI SENIORÓW WE WŁOSZECH

Italians are one of the fastest aging societies in the world. The percentage of people over 60 years old is over 20%. There is also a systematic grow of the number of people who are over 80 years old. Many of them suffer from various medical conditions and need help in everyday life activities. The Italian social help system is traditionally based on family solidarity. Relatives (mostly women) are expected to carry the burden of caring for dependent members of a family. State structures are not prepared for replacing or at least supporting families in all these tasks. Families unable to fulfill this role have been searching for alternative solutions. One of the most popular one is to employ a personal attendant. Due to the lack of interest of the Italian workers for this kind of work, the gap is being filled by female migrants. The aim of the article is to present the work of foreign female caregivers and domestic workers in a broader context that includes the transformation of paid domestic service in recent decades and the ongoing social and demographic changes.