Ilion Residential Care Facility “Aeneas”

It is located at 24 Chrysidos St., close to the Town Hall of Ilion, in the heart of the community and the city. We have given it the name “Aeneas”; the “Aeneid” is roughly the Roman counterpart of our “Odyssey”, the story of the Latins about the wandering of Aeneas after the fall of Troy, until he reached the place where Rome stands today and his descendants founded a city that grew into a great empire (the Roman one), among the most important in History, with more than one and a half millennia of life. The myth of Aeneas says that when the Trojans were leaving Troy, their conquerors allowed them to take only one precious object from their home. Everyone chose something of great financial value, but Aeneas chose to carry on his shoulders his helpless father. The Ilion Residential Care Facility took Aeneas’ name, since “Ilion” was another name for Troy itself, while Aeneas’ devotion and care inspire us.

Identity and Licensing

The Residential Care Facility (B’) for people with severe intellectual disability and secondary mental disorders under the distinctive title “Aeneas” has been operating in Ilion since July 2006 and is one of the housing facilities of the Hellenic Association for Psychosocial Support, Rehabilitation and Community Care, a Civil Non-Profit Company. It is a licensed mental health unit, whose main purpose is the psychosocial rehabilitation of its residents. Its establishment and operation have been approved and licensed successively by the Ministry of Health: with the Feasibility Approval Υ5β/Γ.Π./οικ.97226 of 16-9-2005, the Establishment Licence Υ5β/Γ.Π./οικ.153017 of 20-11-2009, the initial Operating Licence Υ5β/Γ.Π./84844 of 4-10-2013 and the amended Operating Licence Γ3β/Γ.Π.οικ.4100 of 23-1-2023. Its operation is supervised by the Directorate of Mental Health of the Ministry of Health and the 2nd Health Region (DYPe) of Piraeus and the Aegean. Its operation is funded by the Ministry of Health.

As a mental health unit, the Residential Care Facility houses 15 people with intellectual disability and secondary mental disorders, who come mainly from the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica “Dromokaiteio”.

The Human Resources

The daily operation of the Residential Care Facility is supported by specialised staff who are our collaborators: a psychiatrist, doctors of other specialties where necessary as external collaborators, a psychologist, social workers, an occupational therapist, nurses and general duties workers, who ensure the daily and unceasing (24-hour) care of the residents, aiming at their dignity and equal living within the Community. The psychosocial rehabilitation of the residents is a common goal of everyone who works daily at the “Aeneas” mental health unit.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation: Our Philosophy

The “Aeneas” Residential Care Facility follows the same way of operating as all the Housing Facilities of the Centre, as described in detail in the section “Organisation and Operating Rules in the Residential Care Facilities”: respect for the individuality of each resident, daily 24-hour care, community life and gradual, equal reintegration into society. The aim is always the psychosocial rehabilitation of every resident.