Italian Social Services

CuriousMan

This will sound like a soap opera, but I will try to be brief. My father-in-law is an Italian citizen residing in Italy. He is 90 years old with a host of issues, mostly mental health related. Since my mother-in-law died last year, he has gone off the rails completely, so much so that the family from whom he rents an apartment and who have looked after him for the last five years or so have had enough of him and he is likely to be evicted any time.
He has no savings (he has gambled them all away) and only has his pension to live on. He really needs to go into care. However, his pension will not cover the cost of care.
Italian Social Services are claiming that my wife (his only daughter) is responsible for him and would have to pay the difference. My wife and I are in our sixties and we exist only on my pension. We own our house and have some meagre savings for our old age. Furthermore, my wife is a British citizen holding a British passport. We can not travel to Italy due to our own health issues and the expense. There is also the language barrier.
Italian Social Services have almost used bullying tactics, ringing us 32 times during the course of one morning! Not only are they trying to claim that we are responsible for him, but that my wife will be fined if she does not travel down to Italy to sort out the situation.
We are in an impossible situation. We would like to ask if any forum members have any experience of the Italian Social care system. Essentially, knowledge is power. We need to know if my wife does have any responsibility. We feel they are trying it on as we are not under Italian law as we are British. I should also say that the relationship between my father-in-law and my wife is far from good. He ruined her childhood and now his spectre looms over our retirement. Any knowledge or advice gratefully received. Thank you for reading this far.

elsien

If they are phoning you 32 times a day then block their number and insist that all communication has to be in writing. 

I’d be interested to see how they are planning to fine someone not living under their jurisdiction and which British Court they would intend to apply through?
I don’t know the Italian welfare system but as with anywhere there will be people who have no family and mechanisms in place for that. 

I don’t see how this can be in any way enforceable on your wife. 

If @Quasar is still around on the forum she might be able to point you in the right direction, 

Also have a read of this which seems to say that if the person can’t pay then the municipality picks up the tab.
https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/lea/dettaglioContenutiLea.jsp?lingua=english&id=5443&area=Lea&menu=socioSanitaria#:~:text=The%20Italian%20National%20Health%20Service%20only%20covers%20the%20cost%20of,the%20patient's%20municipality%20of%20residence.

Hoenir

CuriousMan said:

Italian Social Services have almost used bullying tactics, ringing us 32 times during the course of one morning! Not only are they trying to claim that we are responsible for him, but that my wife will be fined if she does not travel down to Italy to sort out the situation.

Are you sure that it is Italian Social Services contacting her ? 

Silvertabby

Hoenir said:

CuriousMan said:

Italian Social Services have almost used bullying tactics, ringing us 32 times during the course of one morning! Not only are they trying to claim that we are responsible for him, but that my wife will be fined if she does not travel down to Italy to sort out the situation.

Are you sure that it is Italian Social Services contacting her ? 

Or the owners of the flat, who want rid of him?  Either way, block the number. 

Savvy_Sue

elsien said:

If @Quasar is still around on the forum she might be able to point you in the right direction, 

If not around, then it may well be worth finding an expat forum on which to ask the question ... 

Malthusian

You've already had good advice (block the number), but just to add some context: the British social services are also known for applying heavy pressure to relatives to make "top up payments" to fund someone's care, in an effort to keep the local authority off the hook. We've heard many stories from people who were given the impression they had to pay when in fact they were free to say no.

This sounds like a more extreme version.

There is no chance of a British court making you pay towards his care or a "fine" for not going to Italy.  

Silvertabby

Malthusian said:

You've already had good advice (block the number), but just to add some context: the British social services are also known for applying heavy pressure to relatives to make "top up payments" to fund someone's care, in an effort to keep the local authority off the hook. We've heard many stories from people who were given the impression they had to pay when in fact they were free to say no.

This sounds like a more extreme version.

There is no chance of a British court making you pay towards his care or a "fine" for not going to Italy.  

My late sister was a hoarder.  She died insolvent, with not even enough money to cover her funeral expenses, so I just returned her flat keys to the housing association.  When they realised that I hadn't cleared the flat the HA manager told me in a most bullying way that, as nok, I was legally obliged to either clear the flat or pay for it to be cleared and cleaned by a specialist company.  I just called his BS and walked out.  Never heard from them again.

KxMx

It's likely the same as happens here, the authorities want someone else to take financial responsibility, but that someone else doesn't have to