For 15 years, the diocese of Gurk has been carrying out a training project for Catholic work and pastoral care for elderly people all over Carinthia. The recent celebrations of the international day of older persons made the diocese of Gurk consider the efforts made so far, which “have not only been successful but have become the norm in many parishes”, as written on the diocese’s website, which celebrates the 15th anniversary of the “Real Life – Life and self-determination, even at an older age” project. This means not only looking back to the beginning of a Catholic training project, but thinking of how successful it has been in many parishes as well. The general vicar, mgr. Engelbert Guggenberger, pointed out that the training centre trains people who handle different situations in an area in which the Church should work particularly hard. The coordinator of the project, Barbara Mödritscher, emphasised “the importance of volunteers in the parishes, who make it possible to proudly look back to the last 15 years of work”. Currently, about 27% of the population in Carinthia are aged 60 or more, and such number is growing. Currently, Real Life includes 60 groups that work in Carinthia. And their routine operations are supported by the efforts of many volunteers.