Il movimento corporeo è essenziale per acquisire lo stato di benessere e resistenza fisica necessari per affrontare qualsiasi tipo di lavoro.
The daily practice at Albergo Etico is designed to be gradual, ensuring that participants develop sufficient muscle strength, control of movements, and balance to perform all tasks, even the most complex, in the best possible way. The experience gained so far with participants has shown that there are activities outside the work experience that help and promote the achievement of personal independence.
Practicing a sport is highly encouraged as it strengthens not only an individual's physical abilities but also their spirit. For many years, sports activities have been used in modern psychiatry and psychology as a tool for studying and analyzing personality, as well as for therapy. Sport is seen as a means of communication with others, a non-verbal language that allows individuals to express themselves and be understood. It is a specific form of communication that encompasses various levels of motor, mental, and social integration.
The intensity of physical activity must be gradual and tailored to each individual: sports such as jogging or Nordic walking lend themselves well to progressive intensification. Long walks assisted by trekking poles allow for posture correction and better weight distribution. This not only improves posture but also enhances everyday life through greater mobility in all conditions. Among the sports experiences we have collaborated with most consistently over the years is the Judo Sports Center in Alpignano. Master Enrico d’Abbene has been introducing adapted judo to many young people with Down Syndrome and intellectual disabilities, achieving excellent results in terms of improved body movement, balance, and coordination. Learning the technique of falling is, without a doubt, one of the most important foundational exercises in judo—and beyond. The ability to fall and get back up becomes a crucial skill when navigating everyday life.
Over the years of experimentation, we have observed how massage practices play a significant role in improving both the physical and psychological well-being of participants. Body manipulation stimulates the tissues, increasing blood flow to the muscles. Improved circulation helps alleviate fatigue caused by work-related physical exertion and relax the muscles. Learning self-massage techniques is essential for developing greater self-awareness and the ability to care for oneself. Massage can be beneficial for relieving back pain, neck tension, or joint discomfort. Additionally, it can help stimulate the production of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
To remain among the activities that we have had the opportunity to observe in our experience, music therapy undoubtedly has incredible potential. The alternation of sound, rhythm, movement and silence have liberating effects. The sensation of the produced sound waves that echo in your body create an inner massage that leads to calm and serenity. The ability to let go and return to silence when required helps to learn to focus. Learning to listen to silence and to manage the apparent void created by silence are important exercises, which are performed during the work experience, but which can be developed even more through theater or music workshops. There are associations in our area that promote free expression through percussion and that promote the integration of young adolescents by using the impact and energy released by the rhythm performed in a group. These activities have proved to be important opportunities to foster mutual understanding between able-bodied young people and young people with disabilities, to easily overcome barriers, prejudices and unfounded fears.
