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| 4. |
- Andréasson, Frida, et al.
(författare)
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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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Ingår i: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 88-88
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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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| 5. |
- Andréasson, Frida, et al.
(författare)
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The use of on-line social network and services by family carers with high digital skills : The case of the Swedish sample
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS. The InformCare platform aimed to complement the offer of already available web services to carers through the provision of a new comprehensive package.METHODS. 36 family carers were enrolled in Sweden and used the platform during the intervention. 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.FINDINGS. Users were predominantly older, female carers, who considered the web platform as a flexible tool, potentially accessible at anytime, which could empower users and improve their sense of solidarity and mutual learning.CONCLUSIONS. Although results confirmed usefulness and appropriateness of implemented web services, some carers experienced problems in accessing and navigation, which required continuous technical support by web developers.
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| 6. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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A multilingual web platform supporting informal carers in 27 EU member states
- 2015
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Ingår i: 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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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
(författare)
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A theoretical framework for assessing the impact of ICT-based interventions for carers
- 2012
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Ingår i: Gerontechnology. - 1569-1101 .- 1569-111X. ; 11:2, s. 393-393
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Initiatives using information and communication technologies (ICTs) as support for carers of dependent older people are reported since the early 1990s, mainly in form of phone services, computer networks, and video respite. Although the role of ICTs in home care gained increasing relevance in the last decades – for instance in the areas of social integration, care coordination and ambient assisted living (AAL) – few attempts have been made to systematically understand the potentialities of such technologies, overcoming single technology or intervention domains. In this respect, the issues of terminology ambiguity and lack of comparability represented major barriers, so that most of evaluation studies in this area led to mixed and/or inconclusive results. Drawing on the findings of the CARICT-project, this paper discusses the development of a theoretical and conceptual framework to assess the impact ofI CT-based interventions for carers. Method Literature review and a mapping exercise of 52 ICT-based initiatives for carers in 8 countries. Results & Discussion We will provide the results of a mapping exercise of 52 case studies, showing the diversity of existing good practices across Europe and carrying out a review of available impact assessment of these initiatives from a social ecological perspective (at micro-, meso- and macro-level). Subsewquently, we will discuss a theoretical and conceptual framework that is built on the basis of available evidence, leading toa proper classification of ICT-based interventions in relation to types of interactions between actors they support: an attempt is made to group the solutions in coherent and comprehensive classes, with related implications for impact assessments and comparative analysis. Main classes include: alarms, home automation, auto-communication, meta-services, information and training, cognitive stimulations and mental exercises, support group sessions, individual care and support services, and social participation tools. Finally, recommendations for future research in the field are formulated with regard to the assessment and comparability of these services, as well as to the testing and development of new solutions.
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| 8. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Assessing the Impact of ICT-based Solutions for Carers in Europe : Preliminary Findings from the CARICT Project
- 2012
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Ingår i: Conference “Challenge Social Innovation: Innovating innovation by research – 100 years after Schumpeter”. - : ZSI.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Some evidence suggests that information and communication technologies (ICT) can be an efficient mean to improve not only the quality of care provided to dependent older people but also the support for informal carers and privately employed care workers. However, there is a lack of research on ICT-based initiatives and their impact on carers in the European context. Moving from the preliminary findings of the CARICTproject, the paper discusses the first attempt that has been made in Europe to assess the impact of ICTbased initiatives for carers. First, an overview of the developed methodological framework is presented: it includes both a conceptual framework and an impact assessment methodology (IAM) for evaluating multidimensional outcome. Furthermore, an overview of ICT-based solutions in Europe is provided through the analysis of 52 operational initiatives and selected as good practices. Finally, some recommendations and guidelines for further research in the field are discussed.
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| 9. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Caring For People With Multiple Chronic Conditions In Italy : Policy And Practices
- 2015
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Ingår i: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 71-71
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: An estimated 50 million people in the European Union live with multiple chronic diseases. In Italy, around 26.6% of the population aged 16 to 64 years, reported to have at least one long-standing illness or health problem in 2011. Moreover, around 46% of the population over 50 is suffering from multimorbidity. Some programmes addressing adult or older people with multimorbidity have been introduced.Methods: Data for the ICARE4EU study were collected in the first half of 2014. Eligible programmes focussed on providing care for adult people with two or more medically diagnosed chronic or long lasting diseases (at least onesomatic), involved formalised cooperation between two or more services (at least one medical) and evaluation was available. For each programme an on-line questionnaire was completed and included four main subjects: Patientcentredness, Management, Use of E-health technologies, and Financing systems.Results: In Italy, four programmes met the inclusion criteria. They address both daily patient care and policy/managerial levels. Integration of care services, improved collaboration between care providers, changes in resource utilisation and involvement of informal carers have been observed. In two programmes, older patients are addressed as specific subgroup and in two cases animprovement in the use of E-health tools has emerged.Conclusions: In Italy, new policies and integrated care programmes addressing multimorbidity have been recently introduced in some areas, with good preliminary results.
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| 11. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, et al.
(författare)
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Deliverable 3.6: Final report on the “Methodological Framework”
- 2011
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This report proposes a framework for Impact Assessment of ICT-enabled services to support informal carers, at family, organisational and national levels, and applies this framework to assess the evidence for impact in 12 cases from Europe and North America.
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| 12. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, et al.
(författare)
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Design, test, and implementation of a web platform for informal caregivers of older people in Europe
- 2017
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This contribution provides insights from one of the four social innovations of the INNOVAGE project, focused on the development of the InformCare web platform for supporting informal caregivers of older people in Europe. The platform included information resources on different topics (major diseases in older age, public care services and benefits, coping and reconciliation strategies etc.) and interactive services for professional and peer support (dedicated social network, forum, chat and videochat). The design phase was based on a consultation process involving almost 200 stakeholders and on user tests. The pilot phase was carried out as a mixed-methods study in Germany, Italy and Sweden, which recruited totally 118 caregivers who could access the InformCare platform for 3 months. Positive findings led to its refinement and implementation in 27 European countries. Today, the platform is publicly accessible (www.eurocarers.org/informcare) in 32 versions and 23 languages, with over 2,500 web pages for informal caregivers.
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| 13. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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How web-based services can support family carers of older people : New ways to promote social inclusion and quality of life
- 2015
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Ingår i: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 87-87
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Family carers can be negatively influenced by their situation, in terms of stress, social isolation, economic constraints and other difficulties. Web-based services addressing carers’ needs represent an efficient support. The goal of the INNOVAGE work package 3(WP3) study was to develop and test a new multilingual web platform for supporting family carers of older people, to be implemented in 27 European countries.Methods: A review of good practices and a consultation with stakeholders were conducted for identifying most appropriate types of services to be developed and tested. The prototype of web platform included information resources and interactive services for both peer and professional support. A convenient, overall sample of around 130 family carers was enrolled in three countries (Italy, Germany and Sweden) and could access services for 12-17 weeks. Data were collected through questionnaires and focus groups concerning impact onquality of life, social support, self-perception of carer’s role, as well as usability, usefulness and appropriateness of services.Results: Active users were generally satisfied with support (information, advice, counselling) provided by moderators (social workers or psychologists) and peers. Usability and appropriateness were confirmed, although some refinements were suggested and users with low digital skills often needed technical support. A portion of the sample remained inactive even if stimulation strategies were adopted.Conclusions: The pilot study confirmed the INNOVAGE Eurocarers web platform is a useful tool for family carers. Some challenges still exist for implementation in relation to digital skills required and users’ preferences on services at country level.
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| 14. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of ICT-based interventions on family caregivers : A cross-analysis of 54 good practices in Europe
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. - 1279-7707 .- 1760-4788. ; 17:Supplement, June/July, s. S447-S447
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have gained an increasing relevance for delivering innovative care and support services for dependent older people and their family caregivers. Although ICT-based interventions can vary remarkably in terms of functions, target users, operational aspects and technologies used, little knowledge is available concerning their implementationand impact in Europe, a gap that the CARICT project (http://is.jrc.es/pages/EAP/eInclusion/carers.html) has tried to fill.Method: 54 ICT-based interventions addressing needs of older peopleor their family caregivers have been identified in 12 European countries through internet search, literature review and expert interviews. Reports have been delivered for each case studied, and cross-analysed to better understand their potential impact at micro, meso and macro level.Results: Little evidence was found for positive outcomes at micro-level, including improvements in users’ health relatedquality of life and social inclusion. At meso-level, implementation of 1st/2nd generation telecare contributes to reduce hospitalization and institutionalization rates of older users, as well asto cost savings for local care providers. At macro-level, only one intervention shows concrete effects on a larger scale through a targeted program evaluation, while most ICT-based interventions do not useany tool to assess their impact, and can thus demonstrate only technology acceptance or users’ satisfaction.Conclusion: The lack of relevant evidence at all levels, as well as difficulties in comparing and generalising results, strongly urge practitioners to improve impact assessment methodologies and researchers to develop a better general framework of ICT potentials at a conceptual, theoretical and methodological level in this area.
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| 15. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Increasing inclusion and participation of the young-old and the old-old
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. - 1279-7707 .- 1760-4788. ; 17:Supplement, June/July, s. S132-S132
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: While healthy ageing represents a pre-condition for older people to enjoy a longer and disability-free life span, quality of life in older age is dependent also upon society’s ability to grant individuals social protection, as well as to promote their active participation in the community until the very end of life. These issues constitute a challenge for current and future research on ageing.Method: A 2-year consultation process with over 70 international experts was conducted within the FUTURAGE work-stream focussedon social and economic resources in ageing research. This process allowed a comprehensive discussion on most relevant social participation and protection issues involving scientists, users’ organisations, policy makers and other stakeholders, which led to a set of specific research priorities.Results: The main challenges identified for future ageing research concerning social participation are: ageism; migration; life-long learning; digital divide; spirituality; volunteering; mobility and accessibility; discrimination in the labour market; consumption and access to products and services; and work-life balance. As for social protection, the following core issues have been spotted: sustainability; support to informal carers (also through ICT-based services); efficiency; access to care; cost-effectiveness and quality of interventions; initiatives to improve intergenerational solidarity.Conclusion: Societal challenges related to social participation and sustainability of social protection systems clearly urge new actions in research, practices and policy on ageing. In particular, the identification of over-arching issues, barriers and enablers contributes to strengthen scientific research in the field, as well as to support policy makers in improving social life and quality of life of older people.
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| 17. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Launching an interdisciplinary “International Summer School on Ageing” (ISSA) : Aims, methodology and outcomes
- 2016
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Ingår i: Educational gerontology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0360-1277 .- 1521-0472. ; 42:4, s. 253-264
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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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| 18. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Opportunities and challenges of migrant work in the Italian long-term care system
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. - 1279-7707 .- 1760-4788. ; 17:Supplement, Juny/july, s. S133-S133
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Italy is one of the most aged countries in the world, with a longstanding tradition of family care of the dependent elderly. Inrecent times, however, Italy has been witnessing in-depth social and cultural changes, which have been negatively impacting on informal care provision. In addition, the public long-term care (LTC) system highly relies on cash-for-care schemes for supporting older people, whereas “formal” care services are characterised by weak coverage and intensity. This situation has led to a remarkable increase in theprivate employment of migrant care workers (MCWs), whose number increased by four times in the last two decades.Method: An overview of MCWs phenomenon in Italy is provided through the analysis of empirical data retrieved by available official sources at national level, as well as by results from own surveys conducted in recent years on large samples of MCWs.Results: The following opportunities and challenges concerning MCWs’ employment in the LTC sector were identified: improve MCW’s capacity to deliver quality care; reduce therisk of elder abuse and neglect and of meeting MCWs’ own care needs; increase their social integration in destination countries and reduce “care drain” in sending countries; and how to improve stakeholders’ involvement for a better exchange of good practices and more effective policy measures.Conclusion: In these years, privately employed MCWs have contributed to change the traditional Italian “family care model” into a new “migrant-in-the-family care model”. However, the issue concerning the sustainability of this model within the Italian LTC system in the future is still open.
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| 19. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Personnes âgées dépendantes : la technologie au service desproches soignants
- 2013
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Ingår i: Securité Sociale - CHSS. - 1420-2689. ; 6, s. 325-328
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Si la Suisse dispose d’un réseau bien organisé de structures de soins professionnelles, elle manque en revanche toujours de services d’assistance aux proches soignants. Les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC), connues pour leur souplesse et leur disponibilité, pourraient contribuer à combler cette lacune, puisqu’elles apportentde nouvelles réponses aux besoins des usagers. Toutefois, pour que leur potentiel et leur efficacité puissent être pleinement compris, il faut que les recherches se poursuivent, comme le montre une étude européenne récente.
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| 20. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, et al.
(författare)
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Socioeconomic Predictors of the Employment of Migrant Care Workers by Italian Families Assisting Older Alzheimer's Disease Patients : Evidence From the Up-Tech Study
- 2016
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Ingår i: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1079-5014 .- 1758-5368. ; 71:3, s. 514-525
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The availability of family caregivers of older people is decreasing in Italy as the number of migrant care workers (MCWs) hired by families increases. There is little evidence on the influence of socioeconomic factors in the employment of MCWs.METHOD: We analyzed baseline data from 438 older people with moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), and their family caregivers enrolled in the Up-Tech trial. We used bivariate analysis and multilevel regressions to investigate the association between independent variables-education, social class, and the availability of a care allowance-and three outcomes-employment of a MCW, hours of care provided by the primary family caregiver, and by the family network (primary and other family caregivers).RESULTS: The availability of a care allowance and the educational level were independently associated with employing MCWs. A significant interaction between education and care allowance was found, suggesting that more educated families are more likely to spend the care allowance to hire a MCW.DISCUSSION: Socioeconomic inequalities negatively influenced access both to private care and to care allowance, leading disadvantaged families to directly provide more assistance to AD patients. Care allowance entitlement needs to be reformed in Italy and in countries with similar long-term care and migration systems.
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| 21. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, et al.
(författare)
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The effectiveness of a web-based psycho-social intervention for family carers of older people : a multicentre pilot study
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- AIMS. The goal of this study was to develop and test a new multilingual web platform for supporting family carers of older people by means of on-line information resources and peer and professional support.METHODS. A convenient sample of family carers was enrolled in three countries (Italy, Germany and Sweden) and could access services for 3 months. 94 family carers used the web platform. Data were collected through questionnaires and focus groups.FINDINGS. Active users were generally satisfied with support (information, advice, counselling) provided by moderators (social workers or psychologists) and peers. Usability and appropriateness were confirmed, although some refinements were suggested and users with low digital skills often needed technical support.CONCLUSIONS. The pilot study confirmed web-based support services can be a useful tool for family carers. Some challenges still exist for implementation in relation to digital skills required and users’ preferences on services at country level.
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Usage and Usability of a Web-based Program for Family Caregivers of Older People in Three European Countries : A Mixed-Methods Evaluation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Computers, Informatics, Nursing. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1538-2931 .- 1538-9774. ; 36:5, s. 232-241
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- InformCare is a European Web platform that supports informal caregivers of older people by providing access to online information and professional and peer support. The aim of this study was to assess the usage and usability of a psychosocial Web-based program carried out in three European countries (Italy, Sweden, and Germany). A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was adopted, comprising baseline and postintervention assessments, as well as combined thematic content analysis of results and focus group findings. A convenience sample of 118 caregivers was enrolled, of whom 94 used the services offered by the program at least once. The subsamples in the three countries used the platform in different ways, with a predominance of passive strategies (eg, seeking information and reading other people's comments) for Italian caregivers, and more active usage by Swedish and German caregivers. The usability assessment showed that the platform was perceived well by Italian and German caregivers, whereas technical problems affected the Swedish sample's experiences. Focus group data highlighted user satisfaction with the online support and reliability of the environment. Recommendations for practitioners are to ensure digital training for caregivers who have lower confidence in use of the Internet, to involve different healthcare professionals in the provision of professional support, and to adequately manage online community building.
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| 24. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Using eHealth to improve integrated care for older people with multimorbidity : Francesco Barbabella
- 2015
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Ingår i: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 25:Supplement 3, s. 48-48
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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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| 25. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Volontariato in età matura : opportunità, barriere e best practices per il coinvolgimento degli anziani
- 2011
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Ingår i: Quaderni Europei sul Nuovo Welfare. - 1972-4543. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- L’articolo propone una rassegna sulle opportunità e i maggiori ostacoli in merito alla partecipazione delle persone anziane alle attività di volontariato. A livello internazionale, il dibattito sul volontariato in età matura si è sviluppato principalmente negli Stati Uniti, mentre l’Europa appare ancora indietro nella ricerca: oltre che auspicare un aumento delle indagini sull’argomento a livello nazionale, sarebbe utile promuovere ricerche comparative e trasversali, presenti ancora in numero esiguo. Tra le evidenze attualmente disponibili, risulta che gli anziani più propensi a svolgere attività di volontariato sono quelli “più giovani”, in buona salute, con un livello di istruzione ed una posizione socio-economica elevati, impegnati principalmente in organizzazioni religiose che operano nel settore dei servizi alla persona. Le principali barriere sono invece rappresentate da pratiche discriminatorie legate all’età. A livello internazionale si rivela controverso il rapporto tra l’impegno degli anziani nel volontariato e in altre importanti attività quali il lavoro e la cura informale. Ad ogni modo, emerge con forza l’esigenza di implementare politiche di reclutamento dei volontari senior, dal momento che le poche esistenti sono spesso poco incisive: in questo senso, un supporto importante può essere fornito dalle esperienze realizzate nel contesto statunitense, le quali hanno prodotto negli ultimi anni delle best practices.
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| 26. |
- Carretero, Stephanie, et al.
(författare)
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Can Technology-based Services support Long-term Care Challenges in Home Care? : Analysis of evidence from social innovation good practices across the EU : CARICT project summary report
- 2012
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Bok (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Deployment and use of technological services for informal carers is still limited, mainly due to users' low digital skills, the lack of demonstrated business cases, and the poor evidence of the impact and sustainability of these services. The CARICT project aimed to collect evidence-based results on the impact of ICT-enabled domiciliary care services, and to make policy recommendations to develop, scale and replicate them in the European Union. The methodology was based on a mapping of 52 ICT-based services for informal carers developed in Europe, and a cross–analysis of 12 of these initiatives to get data on their impacts, drivers, business models, success factors, and challenges. The main results show that there is a wide range of successful, not very costly and beneficial examples of ICT-based support for carers across Europe. The cross-analysis indicated that these services had positive impacts on the quality of life of elderly people and informal carers, the quality of care and the financial sustainability of the health and social systems. The data also confirm that policy at European, national, regional and local levels can promote the successful development, implementation and transferability of these services through funding, policy leadership and by promoting stronger cooperation among stakeholders including end-users, mainly from the third sector and informal carers, to create a new value chain in the provision of long-term care. These findings help to achieve the objectives of European policy defined by the 2020 Strategy, and more specifically the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) and the European Innovation Partnership on Healthy and Active Ageing (EIP AHA)
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Chiatti, Carlos, et al.
(författare)
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ISSA 2012 : The medium-term impact of the first ISSA in the eyes of its participants
- 2015
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Ingår i: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 44-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: This contribution aims at illustrating the perspective of students attending the first International Summer School on Ageing (ISSA), highlighting the midterm impact exerted by this initiative on their own educational career.Methods: The reported findings are based on a follow-up assessment questionnaire sent out to and filled-in by ISSA participants (n= 20) six months after the Summer School’s conclusion, with the aim of identifying whether participation in the ISSA had brought any advantage to each participant's professional and educational life.Results: Among the ISSA-related aspects identified as “important” for their future research activity, the main ones were “interacting with established researchers” (100%) and “being part of a research network” (85%), followed by “use of different approaches” and “training environment”. As for the aspects “influenced” by the ISSA, the “development of a professional network” was the most frequently mentioned (100%), followed by “research training” (84%), “research interest” (79%) and “career” (71%). The majority of participants reported that, since their ISSA attendance, had remained in contact with each other for study-related (65%) or work-related (60%) purposes. This networking activity has led to joint scientific collaborations with both mentors (one joint conference presentation and two peer-review publications) and fellow students (preparation of a project proposal in response toa research call and organisation of a scientific event).Conclusions: The reported findings show that the ISSA has been useful in creating a collaborative multidisciplinary network of younger and older researchers on ageing-related issues, which is likely to bear more fruitin the long-term.
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Chiatti, Carlos, et al.
(författare)
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Migrant care work for elderly households in Italy
- 2013
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Ingår i: Ageing in the Mediterranean. - Bristol : Policy Press. - 9781447301066 ; , s. 235-256
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This paper aims at pointing out the need for a more equitable, internationally driven approach to solve elder care staff shortages, on the background of the implications deriving from the widespread phenomenon of employing migrant care workers in the Italian elder care sector. The paper describes at first how this form of care provision has become so popular in this country to face the long term care needs characterising its ageing population. Main reasons are identified, on the one hand, in the decreasing availability of informal care, due to the increasing female participation in the labor market, a longer working life and a reduction in the support provided by social networks. On the “formal” side, a major role has been played also by the lack of appropriate long term care services, such as residential and public home care, as well as by a chronic shortage of nursing staff and a shorter length of hospital stays. The traditionally “cash-oriented” profile of the Italian welfare system – more based on cash-for-care measures rather than in-kind services – has ended up with perpetuating familistic tendencies stimulating the employment of foreign migrant care workers, often on a live-in, undeclared basis. The paper’s conclusions focus on the analysis of the main opportunities and challenges raised by this phenomenon, trying to catch all involved parties’ perspectives: the older care recipients’ families; the migrant care workers; the receiving and the sending societies. This approach allows to identify core advantages of this solution in the possibility to increase ageing in place opportunities (thus reducing institutionalisation rates) and to provide a more personalised home care at reasonable costs. On the other hand, drawbacks can occur in terms of low quality of care, risk of widespread undeclared labour conditions, possible exploitation of foreign migrants and abuse of older people, as well as “brain and care drain” effects in sending countries. A more neutral, internationally driven governance is therefore suggested in order to minimize these risks and promote equitable solutions to solve care provision shortages in some countries without “plundering the future” of other nations.
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| 32. |
- Di Rosa, Mirko, et al.
(författare)
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A typology of caregiving situations and service use in family carers of older people in six European countries : The EUROFAMCARE study
- 2011
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Ingår i: GeroPsych. - Bern : Hogrefe Publishing. - 1662-9647 .- 1662-971X. ; 24:1, s. 5-18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper presents the EUROFAMCARE study findings, examining a typology of care situations for family carers of older people, and the interplay of carers with social and health services. Despite the complexity of family caregiving situations across Europe, our analyses determined the existence of seven “caregiving situations,” varying on a range of critical indicators. Our study also describes the availability and use of different support services for carers and care receivers, and carers’ preferences for the characteristics of support services. Our findings have relevance for policy initiatives in Europe, where limited resources need to be more equitably distributed and services should be targeted to caregiving situations reflecting the greatest need, and organized to reflect the preferences of family carers.
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Di Rosa, Mirko, et al.
(författare)
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Migrant care workers in Italian households : recent trends and future perspectives
- 2017
-
Ingår i: The Routledge Handbook of Social Care Work Around the World. - Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2018. : Routledge. - 9781315612805 - 9781472479457 ; , s. 142-155
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This chapter focuses on role played by migrant care work within the Italian long-term care (LTC) system. Italy is a country where the informal sector, and in particular the family, has traditionally represented the bulk of care provision, with public policies and interventions tending to perpetuate and take for granted this constellation. The analysis examines the increasingly important pillar of the Italian LTC system represented by care workers who are directly employed by Italian households, usually called in Italian assistenti familiari or – in a partly pejorative informal term – badanti. The impact of demographic trends on the Italian LTC system is exacerbated by a traditional lack in the coverage of formal LTC services, and more recently by the deepest economic recession since the Second World War. Families can take the chance to open up to new care and living solutions and create human capital, or they can isolate and shut down any positive possibility in the caregiving triad.
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
- Di Rosa, Mirko, et al.
(författare)
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Private employment of home care workers and use of health services by disabled older people in Italy
- 2013
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Ingår i: Euroregional Journal of Socio-Economic Analysis. - 2344-6404. ; 1:1, s. 33-42
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Home care workers privately employed by households have become today the “third rail” of longtermcare policies in several industrialised countries. In Italy, estimates suggested that they might be asmany as over 840,000, most of them being foreign-born migrants living with the cared for person. So far, littleattention has been paid to the integration and coordination of these workers within the formal care sector.We analysed a cross-sectional sample of 4,814 disabled older Italians living in the community to assess theassociation between the private employment of home care workers and the likelihood of using other formalservices. After controlling for possible confounding effects of predisposing characteristics and need factors,we found that using private assistance at home is strongly associated with the use of all services. Thesecorrelations suggests that a “crowding-in” effect exists between the use of private care and public formalservices, and a clear pattern of care tasks allocation can be identified in Italy, where family and privatecarers are responsible for assisting the older person with basic tasks of daily living, while the residualcompetences of public formal sector relate to specialised health care services.
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| 37. |
- Efthymiou, Areti, et al.
(författare)
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The role of Eurocarers in promoting web-based support services for informal carers in Europe
- 2015
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Ingår i: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 88-89
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Eurocarers is an European non-profit association representing informal carers. It was officially established in 2006 and includes user organisations, research institutions and individual members addressing and working on the issue of informal care. Eurocarers participates in the work package 3 (WP3) of the INNOVAGE project, aiming to develop and disseminate a multilingual web platform for informal carers in 27 Member States of the European Union (EU).Methods: A wide networking activity was carried out in 2013-2014 for identifying and involving at least one user organisation in each country of the EU-27, which could take over responsibility of single national versions of the platform. 29 carers organisations were involved in implementation, as well as in developing country-based contents for the information resources area.Results: Information resource area will be implemented in the EU-27 in all official languages and updated progressively by organisations. Each organisation will implement a set of interactive services, depending on country peculiarities and available resources. A further dissemination phase will follow, based on a multilayered approach: one EU event will take place in 2015, followed by national events and other local activities.Conclusions: A fundamental role in the development and dissemination of web-based support services for carers is played by the activation of a strong and comprehensive network of organisations. Characteristics of the internet have the potential to strengthen collaboration between stakeholders and converge efforts for improving level of support services in countries with less cultural, social and policy recognition of carers’ role in the society.
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| 38. |
- Efthymiou, Areti, et al.
(författare)
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Web services for Greek informal carers
- 2015
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Ingår i: Hellenic Journal of Nuclear Medicine. - : The Hellenic Society of Nuclear Medicine. - 1790-5427. ; 18, s. 51-53
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The INNOVAGE project is dedicated to developing, surveying and cataloguing, social innovations for older people. Four new innovations will be developed and tested: a) social innovation for user – driven housing of older people, b) a web-platform for informal carers of older people, c) social intervention for improving obesity in old age, d) social innovation for activation of people with dementia living in long term care institutions. Italian National Institute of Health and Science on Aging (INRCA) (www.inrca.it) and Eurocarers Association (www.eurocarers.org) are the partners responsible for developing and implementing a multilingual web platform for informal carers in 27 EU Member States. An innovAge carers associations network has been established based on the Eurocarers organisations network. National organizations, members of INNOVAGE network, are responsible for developing national information and disseminating the web platform at national level. Athens Association of Alzheimer‘s Disease and Related Disorders is an official member of the INNOVAGE network and participates in the development of the Greek version of the INNOVAGE web platform. The platform will provide to end-users services such as: national information on care and support services, legal and financial information, information about the most common impairments of older people, strategies and information about coping with caregiving. Interactive services, social network, forum, chat, video conferencing tools will be also available. The Greek version of the web platform will be available in May 2015.
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| 39. |
- Eslami, Bahareh, et al.
(författare)
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Lifetime abuse and somatic symptoms among older women and men in Europe
- 2019
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 14:8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Research suggests that survivors of interpersonal violence have an increasing experience of bodily symptoms. This study aims to scrutinise the association between lifetime abuse and somatic symptoms among older women and men, considering demographics/socio-economic, social support and health variables. Methods: A sample of 4,467 community-dwelling persons aged 60–84 years (57.3% women) living in seven European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Sweden) was recruited for this cross-sectional study. Lifetime abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial and injury) was assessed on the basis of the UK study of elder abuse and the Conflict Tactics Scale-2, while somatic symptoms were assessed by the Giessen Complaint List short version. Results: Women reported somatic symptoms more frequently than men. Multiple regression analyses revealed that lifetime exposure to psychological abuse was associated with higher levels of somatic symptoms among both women and men, while experiencing lifetime sexual abuse was associated with somatic symptoms only among older women, after adjusting for other demographic and socio-economic variables. Country of residence, older age, and low socio-economic status were other independent factors contributing to a higher level of somatic symptoms. Conclusions: The positive association between the experience of abuse during lifetime and the reporting of higher levels of somatic symptoms, in particular among older women, seems to suggest that such complaints in later life might also be related to the experience of mistreatment and not only to ageing and related diseases. Violence prevention throughout lifetime could help to prevent somatic symptoms in later life.
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| 40. |
- Genet, Nadine, et al.
(författare)
-
Current trends and challenges and how they are dealt with
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 19:suppl 1, s. 49-49
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Besides the ageing of populations there are many more factors that have an influence on home care demand or supply; such as increased mobility; changing character of family structures; intergeneration solidarity; labour participation of women and the labour market for home care. This presentation will sketch the current trends, problems and how they can be tackled. The year 2025 is still far away but we will try to look ahead without losing the sense of reality.Methods & Materials: This presentation is drawn upon the EC- financed EURHOMAP project, which included an inventory of contextual factors, problems related to policy, financing and delivery of home care and future challenges in each country. The study has col- lected a wealth of data in each of 31 countries on a large set of indicators.Results: Trends influencing home care will be presented. We will notice that different trends may apply to groups of countries. The possible affects of more or less general problems will be explored, such as scarcity of financial and human resources. Besides less general, but still burning problems in some countries, will be examined; for instance the lack of integration and coordination between types of home care services; inequalities resulting from decentralisation of authority; limited access to home care services for middle income groups; and absent or poor control of the quality of services. Examples will be presented of how countries respond to the earlier mentioned challenges.Conclusion: Some problems, such as those related to financial and human resources apply to most countries and are expected to be persistent. Private models of provision may also be considered to be of growing importance. However, cross-country differences in trends and problems will continue to exist, especially between countries with a long tradition of home care and those where it was recently developed.
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| 41. |
- Genet, Nadine, et al.
(författare)
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Financing home care in Europe
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - Rotterdam, the Netherlands : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 19:suppl 1, s. 48-48
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite the assumption that care delivered at home is more cost-effective than care provided in institutions, such as nursing homes, the pressure on expenditures for home care will remain. Financial incentives are widely used to get better value for money. Incentives can be applied to authorities responsible for home care, or to agencies that provide services or to clients who receive care. Details of the financing system of home care services very much determine the possibilities for financial incentives. At present, there is a need for comparative information on financing mechanisms for home care. This presentation is based on the results of the EC-financed EURHOMAP project. Indicators have been developed in this project to map the home care systems in Europe, including details of financing. In 2009 and early 2010, EURHOMAP partners have collected data on these indicators in 31 countries in collaboration with experts in these countries. Results were described in uniformly structured country reports and fed back to national experts for validation. Prevailing models of financing for home care will be presented as well as information of the extent to which home care across Europe is pressured by financial restraints. Especially in Eastern European countries, where home care is not well developed yet, funding is a major problem. Co-payments are applicable in most countries to reduce expenditures and to prevent over-utilisation of services. Usually, financing mechanisms for social community based services differ from the mechanisms in place for home health care services. Consequently, modes of reimbursement for providers of different sorts of home care services and the financial implications for clients differ. Co-payments are more prevalent with social services than with health care. Another financial allocation mechanism is means testing, which is frequently used with publicly financed home care services. There is a large diversity in the type of financing mechanism, both between and within countries in Europe. Budgetary restraints are one of the main problems with regard to home care in almost all countries. Usually, access to home care services is restricted in some way by financial restrictions.
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| 42. |
- Genet, Nadine, et al.
(författare)
-
Human resources in home care in Europe
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 19:suppl 1, s. 48-48
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: The increasing old-age dependency ratio implies future reduction of human resources available to provide services. Little information is available about the level of qualification, contractual aspects, payment and working conditions of home care workers and the existence of staff shortages and recruitment problems in different countries.Methods & Materials: This presentation is based on the results of the EC-financed EURHOMAP project. Indicators have been devel- oped in this project to map the home care systems in Europe, includ- ing details of human resources. In 2009 and early 2010, EURHOMAP partners have collected data on these indicators in 31 countries in collaboration with experts in these countries. Results were described in uniformly structured country reports and fed back to national experts for validation.Results: In many countries numbers of those working in private organisations are not available. Furthermore financial incentives and working conditions will be compared, as well as the task division between home care workers and to what extent educational require- ments are explicitly formalised. Mechanisms of quality control of human resources differ strongly (e.g. recertification of nurses; rules for the education of home care nurses). An interesting phenomenon, related to pressures to increase efficiency, is the transfer of tasks or substitution which is taking place between home care workers of dif- ferent qualification levels. In contrast to the provision of technical nursing, the provision of personal care and domestic aid is less strictly related to specific qualifications.Conclusion: Shortages in human resources are a common problem in many countries, but expectedly most in countries just having developed home care. There is a strong variation in mechanisms of quality control of home care professionals; in the level of education required; and in the strength of the position of home care workers.
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| 43. |
- Genet, Nadine, et al.
(författare)
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Integrating home care services in Europe
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 19:suppl 1, s. 14-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: A key feature of home care is its divided nature. Conditions for coordination are poor. A variety of professionals provides a coherent mix of services. The social care system is in general local, less professionalised and usually moor poorly financed than the health care system. These differences are related to or result in different interests, culture and style and are a ground for communication problems. The existence of this divide will be explored it will be considered what remedies are available and are applied.Methods and Materials: This presentation is drawn upon the results of the EC-financed EURHOMAP project and a discussion between country experts invited to the conference. The study has collected a wealth of data on various types of home care (including nursing care, personal care, domestic aid and respite care). In 31 countries information was gathered on a large set of indicators in the areas of policy & regulation, financing, organisation & delivery and clients & informal carers.Results: Home care services may stem from different sectors, systems and organisations. Several countries have identified and addressed problems related to this situation. However, the degree of splitting varies among countries. It can exist at one or more of the following levels: governance and regulation; entry to the home care system; delivery of services. Furthermore the extent to which the division occurs may differ as well. Integration at governance level creates more favourable conditions for integration at access and delivery level. From a clients’ perspective poor integration may manifest itself both at the point of entry (absence of a clear-cut easy access point), and in the delivery of services (which are not tailored to what is needed or lack flexibility).Conclusion: There are many possible remedies against problems of poor integration; depending on the level and the situation where the problem occurs.
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| 44. |
- Genet, Nadine, et al.
(författare)
-
Recipients of home care and the role of informal care in Europe
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 19:suppl 1, s. 48-49
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In many cases home care is no viable option without the efforts of clients and informal carers. So, an understanding of home care systems would not be complete without taking into account the role of clients and informal carers. As resources and criteria of eligibility are very different across countries, clients differ in their dependency, frailty and availability of informal care. In some countries recipients of home care more behave like critical consumers knowing their rights than those in other countries. Henceforth, systems may differ in the way clients are informed, can choose and, if necessary, can submit complaints. Another difference concerns the acknowledgement and role of informal carers, which is reflected, for instance, in the possibility for informal carers to be supported (e.g. with respite care). Here again, it turns out that very little comparative information is available at this point. On the basis of results of a literature review and from consultations with experts across Europe, the EC-financed EURHOMAP project has developed an extensive set of indicators to map home care systems, including the position and situation of clients and informal carers. EURHOMAP partners collected the data in 2009 and early 2010, in collaboration with experts in 31 European countries. Results were described in uniformly structured country reports and fed back to national experts for validation. An additional source of information was the answers on questions related to four ‘vignettes’ (hypothetical case descriptions of home living people in need of care). These questions were answered by a panel of key informants in each country. In most countries the largest share among recipients of home care consists of people above the age of 65 years. The number of recipients of home care varied enormously. In some countries home is almost limited to the elderly, while in other countries a wider range of services is provided to a wider vaiety of client and patient groups, including those in need of palliative (end-of-life) care and those in need of post-hospital care. Great differences were found in empowering recipients of home care (such as: offering choice of provider, type of provider; personal budget as an option; and availability of benchmark information to enable recipients to compare providers). The 31 countries will be compared on the availability of payment of informal carers; whether the tasks of informal carers have been laid down in a care protocol; whether the availability of informal care is taken into account in the needs assessment. Countries strongly differ in the number of home care recipients, their position in the system and the role of informal carers in the allocation and provision of formal care.
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| 45. |
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| 46. |
- Lamura, Giovanni, et al.
(författare)
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Current LTC challenges in Italy
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. - 1279-7707 .- 1760-4788. ; 17:Supplement 1, June/july, s. S227-S227
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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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| 47. |
- Lamura, Giovanni, et al.
(författare)
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Family Carers Experiences Using Support Services in Europe : Empirical Evidence From the EUROFAMCARE Study
- 2008
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Ingår i: The Gerontologist. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0016-9013 .- 1758-5341. ; 48:6, s. 752-771
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: This article explores the experiences of family carers of older people in using support services in six European countries: Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and the UK. Design and Methods: Following a common protocol, data were collected from national samples of approximately 1,000 family carers per country and clustered into comparable subgroups to facilitate cross-national analysis. Results: Carers use of available support services is limited across Europe but is considerably higher in Germany, Sweden, and the UK than in Poland, Greece, and Italy. Service use is more prevalent among wives and carers with stronger support networks and less frequent among working daughters with high levels of burden, suggesting the need for a reconsideration of eligibility criteria and better targeting of service responses. Access to and use of services is characterized by a divide between carers in northwestern Europe, who experience few difficulties other than the older persons refusal to accept the support offered, and carers in southeastern Europe, where service affordability and poor transportation present remarkable barriers. Concerns regarding the timeliness and quality of support are common to all countries. Implications: European Union-wide efforts to improve carer support need to focus on improving the care systems ability to provide timely, high-quality care delivered by staff who treat the older person with dignity and respect, and to enhance cooperation between health professionals (in all countries), informal networks (especially in southeastern Europe), social services (particularly in Sweden and the UK), and voluntary organizations (in Germany and the UK).
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| 48. |
- Lamura, Giovanni, et al.
(författare)
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Filling the gap in long-term professional care through systematic migration policies : Synthesis Report
- 2014
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Bok (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Many EU countries face the challenge of providing elderly care in the context of shortages of trained personnel. The Peer Review in Berlin (23-24 October) provided the opportunity for peer countries to explore the German approach of recruiting and training non-EU migrants. This report summarises the key issues discussed and the lessons learned. It is available in electronic format in English, French and German
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| 49. |
- Lamura, Giovanni, et al.
(författare)
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How new technologies support carers of older people: the Eurocarers' InformCare platform
- 2017
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Ingår i: Innovation in Aging. - : Oxford University Press. - 2399-5300. ; 1:Supplement 1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This presentation discusses how new technologies support family carers of older people with reference to the Eurocarers’ hub ‘InformCare’, the web-platform of support services for carers of older people co-funded by the European Union within the INNOVAGE project. After highlighting the status of technology-based services for carers in Europe, the main features of InformCare will be demonstrated. Tested in three European countries (Germany, Italy and Sweden), this tool provides a standardised, integrated, multilingual and culturally adapted set of on-line information and interactive services addressing carers’ needs and preferences which are available for the first time in 27 Member States. The implementation followed a pilot test with 117 carers, showing improvements in carers’ self-awareness and empowerment over a 3 month period. However, to ensure optimal benefit from InformCare, appropriate training and promotion campaigns are needed in order to overcome low digital literacy skills and lack of self-recognition characterising many carers.
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| 50. |
- Lamura, Giovanni, et al.
(författare)
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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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Ingår i: International Journal of Care and Caring. - : POLICY PRESS. - 2397-8821 .- 2397-883X. ; 3:1, s. 97-116
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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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