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- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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Launching an interdisciplinary “International Summer School on Ageing” (ISSA) : Aims, methodology and outcomes
- 2016
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In: Educational gerontology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0360-1277 .- 1521-0472. ; 42:4, s. 253-264
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite the increasing availability of gerontological training programmes, knowledge of theircontents, characteristics, methods and outcomes remains limited. However, the transitionfrom multidisciplinarity to interdisciplinary orientations is now fundamental to such training,providing participants from diverse academic orientations and professional backgrounds withopportunities to interact ‘across boundaries’. In response to recommendations of the EUFuturage Road Map for European Ageing Research (2011) concerning training and careerdevelopmentneeds of future cohorts of practitioners and scholars in aging, an InternationalSummer School on Ageing (ISSA) was developed in 2012. Its aim was to initiate the practicalimplementation of some of the capacity building goals identified by Futurage. The design andstructure of the ISSA was informed by the experience of Canada’s Summer Programme inAgeing - run by the Institute of Aging of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research – and bythe cross-border academic training activities organized by Lund University (Sweden) inScandinavian countries. As Italy has lacked a tradition of comprehensive, interdisciplinarytraining programmes in gerontology, the Italian National Institute of Health and Science onAgeing undertook to launch the inaugural ISSA. In this article, the core aims andmethodology of the ISSA are presented, together with an analysis of its main outcomes, asmeasured by participant evaluations. These are discussed in the context of internationaldebate on this topic.
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| 3. |
- Lamura, Giovanni, et al.
(author)
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Implications of the use of migrant care work and web-based services on family caregivers' health
- 2019
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In: International Journal of Care and Caring. - : POLICY PRESS. - 2397-8821 .- 2397-883X. ; 3:1, s. 97-116
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article illustrates the implications of two recent trends on family carers' health: the employment of home-based migrant care workers; and the provision of web-based supports. The main factors traditionally associated with carers' health are used to analyse the results of a six-country study via a multilevel linear regression. Attention will be dedicated to the role of migrant care workers, who are often hired by private households to provide eldercare. Finally, web-based services for carers will be investigated by considering InformCare, a recently implemented European platform tested on a sample of carers from three countries (Germany, Italy and Sweden).
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- Andréasson, Frida, et al.
(author)
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The INNOVAGE-Eurocarers platform and current ICT-based services for informal carers of older people in Sweden
- 2015
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In: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 88-88
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Different support services for family carers are available in Sweden through information and communication technologies (ICTs) since late 1990s, like ACTION, My Joice, IPPI, ‘The Gap’, and Carer Sweden’s online ‘Carer’s Book’. The INNOVAGE-Eurocarers platform aimed to complement the offer of web services to carers through the provision of a new tailored package.Methods: The Swedish pilot test enrolled around 50 carers through contacts with professionals working with carers in different municipalities. They could access the following web-based services: information resources; individual support via e-mail and private messages; group support via social network and forum. Periodical writing activities were asked to active users in the forum, alternating expressive writing (EW) and time management (TM) writing tasks. Periodical reminders were sent in order to increase user involvement.Results: Users were predominantly older, female carers, of which two thirds were over 65 years old. The web platform was perceived as a flexible tool, potentially accessible at any time, which gave users the possibility to exploit their experience as carers with others in similar situations. This peer exchange seemed to improve self empowerment, sense of solidarity and mutual learning. However, usage of the web platform was limited due to the low level of digital skills of some carers.Conclusions: Although results confirmed usefulness and appropriateness of implemented web services, it is fundamental to address the issue of usability and accessibility in order to ensure a wider accessibility. An option might be to offer initial digital skill training and continuous technical support for computer novices.
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| 6. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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A multilingual web platform supporting informal carers in 27 EU member states
- 2015
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In: Broader, bigger, better: AAL solutions for Europe. Proceedings of the 6<sup>th</sup> AAL Forum 2014. - Bucharest : UEFISCDI. - 9789730201192 ; , s. 169-172
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Informal care is a hot topic in research and policy agendas at European and national level, since it greatly contributes to the sustainability and efficiency of national health care systems. A specific intervention – part of the wider INNOVAGE project funded by FP7 – was planned for developing and testing a new multilingual web platform for informal carers of dependent older people in the EU-27. Preliminary results of the pilot study, conducted in Italy, Germany and Sweden will be discussed. The final platform will be accessible in all official languages of the EU-27 and publicly available in spring 2015.
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| 7. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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Using eHealth to improve integrated care for older people with multimorbidity : Francesco Barbabella
- 2015
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In: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 25:Supplement 3, s. 48-48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IssueThe exploitation of eHealth tools in integrated care practices addressing multimorbidity might be a strong driver for facilitating access to the services provided to people with multiple chronic diseases. This is particularly true in the case of older people living in the community, since eHealth could enhance and reinforce care services at home, improving independent living and security of patients.Description of the problemOne of the ICARE4EU project aims, was to explore whether and which kind of eHealth tools are implemented in integrated care practices for older people with multimorbidity across Europe. In fact, eHealth tools could differ widely across practices, requiring specific know-how by users and health professionals for using and maintaining technology-based solutions, adequate financial resources, compatible organisational and cultural environment with innovations.ResultsThe ICARE4EU project selected 101 integrated care practices in 24 European countries, of which 85 included the provision of at least one eHealth tool. Out of 50 practices addressing needs of older people, 42 included some eHealth solution aimed at: enhancing digital communication (64%); monitoring care processes (58%); providing decision support systems (60%); supporting patients' self-management (32%). Two promising approaches exploiting eHealth are presented in detail: the ‘TeleRehabilitation project: Post ICU patient telerehabilitation services' at the Nicosia General Hospital and the ‘Strategy for chronic care' by the Regional Department of Health in Valencia.LessonsThe use of eHealth seems to have many benefits in terms of improvement of integration and management of care, as well as quality of care. However, to realize this benefits, it is important to arrange adequate technical support, legislative frameworks and training of users and health professionals.
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| 8. |
- Gori, Cristiano, et al.
(author)
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How different countries allocate long-term care resources to older users : changes over time
- 2016
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In: Long-term care reforms in OECD countries. - Bristol : Policy Press. - 978 144731 071 6 ; , s. 77-116
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A key policy debate in long-term care (LTC) policies across OECD countriestoday can be summarised by the following question: what measures and strategiescan be adopted to optimise resources? New policies are required for balancingfinances and access to care, with different options on the table and waiting forgovernments’ decisions.This chapter looks at changes over time in public resource allocation amongLTC users in the same OECD countries considered in the previous chapter (exceptfor Australia). As in Chapter Four, this chapter focuses exclusively on publiccare inputs, defined as those inputs that are (at least partially) publicly funded,and looks at users aged 65 and over. Chapter Four led the way to reconsideringhow public resources are allocated in different LTC systems through an in-depthanalysis of current spending. To complement that analysis, this chapter adopts along-term perspective, investigating the changes that have occurred over the last20–25 years in three crucial dimensions of resource allocation: the mix of LTCservices for older people, their intensity, and their coverage.The countries considered are representative of the OECD environment withrespect to both the overall welfare models and the models of LTC policies.Concerning the former, as Campbell et al have noted in Chapter Four, ‘wehave Sweden in social-democratic Northern Europe, Italy in familial SouthernEurope, Germany in corporatist mid-continent, Australia, the US and Englandas quite different versions of the Anglo-Saxon “residual” model, and Japan as therelatively new entry that shares aspects of all the other models.’ From the pointof view of LTC policies, the sample of countries selected represents the differentmodels in the OECD context:• Universal coverage within a single programme: this model guarantees people access toformal services without taking into account users’ income or assets as eligibilitycriteria. It is also organised as a single system, separated or integrated with theoverall health system (Germany, Japan and Sweden).• Mixed systems: in this case, LTC is provided through a mix of different universalprogrammes and benefits operating alongside, or a mix of universal and meanstestedLTC entitlements (England and Italy).• Means-tested systems: under this type of scheme, LTC coverage is providedthrough safety-net programmes. In countries using this system, income and/or asset tests are used to define thresholds for eligibility to publicly fundedcare. Only those falling below a set threshold are entitled to publicly fundedservices or benefits (the US) (Colombo et al, 2011).This chapter is organised as follows. First, it addresses the issue of resourceallocation, providing a definition of the topic and the methodology used. Themain policies implemented in each of the six countries are then examined. Finally,a comparative discussion on the trends emerging across our sample is presented,followed by a final paragraph looking ahead.
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| 9. |
- Lamura, Giovanni, et al.
(author)
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Current LTC challenges in Italy
- 2013
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In: The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. - 1279-7707 .- 1760-4788. ; 17:Supplement 1, June/july, s. S227-S227
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: The rapid ageing of the Italian population is reflected by a growing demand for LTC services. As families are facing increasing difficulties in providing everyday elder care, the pressure on formal services is growing. At the same time, the current financial crisis is making the public response less and less able to provide the needed resources. As a consequence, the current approach of indirect public support to the private employment of migrant care workers (MCWs) through cash-for-care schemes is likely to continue.Method: The presentation is based on a detailed analysis of empirical findings and policy documents, outlining the crucial features characterising the Italian LTC system and describing also some of the main differences existing between different regional care approaches.Results: After adecade of increasing availability of publicly funded LTC services for older people, in some sectors, such as integrated home care, the audience of recipients has started receiving a lower number of hours of care. The mainly monetary focus of the Italian care regime has a clear incentivizing effect to employ foreign migrant care workers, often on an undeclared basis, to provide everyday elder care in Italian homes. Another crucial characteristic is the strong heterogeneity of Italian regions, according to which today different clusters of regions can beidentified, with strong inequalities in LTC provision.Conclusion : Thelack of a coherent national LTC policy has been recently accompaniedby an increasing focus on cash-for-care payments, which in the future will require a stronger attention to care quality issues.
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| 10. |
- Petzold, Martin, et al.
(author)
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Towards an Ambient Assisted Living User Interaction Taxonomy
- 2013
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In: CHI '13 Extended Abstracts of the ACM International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. - New York : ACM Press. - 9781450318990 ; , s. 49-54
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Extensive research in the field of ambient assisted living (AAL) provides profound knowledge about the design of AAL systems. However, more generic design characteristics for user interaction have not been formalized for this domain yet. Thus, we propose to develop a domain specific taxonomy for the design of user interaction in AAL systems. We adopted a systematic taxonomy development approach that combines an empirical and a pseudo-conceptual strategy. Six co-researchers from different disciplines conduct the iterative research process. Next to AAL systems existing taxonomies in the field of human-computer interaction are analyzed following the Delphi method. In this paper we present our research process and preliminary results from the first iteration. The final taxonomy allows classification and should support the analysis of user interaction utilized in AAL systems. Furthermore, it can deal as a practical design guideline.
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