Rome ( CNN ) -- Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi began a year of community service for his conviction on tax fraud charges on Friday when he showed up at a senior center near his hometown , Milan . The 77-year old billionaire tycoon must visit the center for the elderly at least once a week for a minimum four hours . The community service order is in lieu of house arrest . The former premier is expected to work with 20 residents with Alzheimer 's disease in the home , run by the Sacred Family Foundation , Fondazione Sacra Famiglia , in Cesano Boscone outside Milan . Upon Berlusconi 's arrival at the center , a member of a health care workers ' trade union , Pippo Fiorito , staged a small protest against his presence . `` His place is in a jail , not here , '' Fiorito said . Berlusconi gave no comment as he entered the building . His security guards were left outside . The center 's director has barred all staff and residents from taking or distributing photos or video of Berlusconi inside the building , in accordance with its privacy rules . Berlusconi , who served on and off as prime minister between 1994 and 2011 , has dominated the lively Italian political scene for the past two decades . He was handed a four-year sentence last August -- commuted to a year -- for tax fraud at Mediaset , the large commercial broadcaster that Berlusconi founded . He has also been barred from holding public office for two years and was expelled from the Italian Senate in the fall . Last month , a Milan court ruled that Berlusconi could be assigned to social work at the elderly center as an alternative to house arrest . He also faces restrictions on his movements within Italy . Berlusconi continues to protest his innocence and says he has been persecuted by leftist magistrates . CNN 's Marie-Louise Gumuchian contributed to this report .
Silvio Santos is carrying out community work at a center for the elderly for a year . The 77-year - old president is expected to work with 20 elderly residents with Alzheimer 's . The former Prime Minister was convicted last year of electoral fraud .