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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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- Andréasson, Frida, et al.
(author)
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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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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)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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- Barbabella, Francesco, et al.
(author)
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A web-based psychosocial intervention for family caregivers of older people : results from a mixed-methods study in three European countries
- 2016
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In: JMIR Research Protocols. - : JMIR Publications. - 1929-0748. ; 5:4, s. 1-16
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Informal caregiving is the main source of care for older people in Europe. An enormous amount of responsibility and care activity is on the shoulders of family caregivers, who might experience problems in their psychological well-being and in reconciling caregiving and their personal sphere. In order to alleviate such burden, there is increasing interest and growing research in Europe on Web-based support addressing family caregivers and their needs. However, the level of development and penetration of innovative Web-based services for caregivers is still quite low and the access to traditional face-to-face services can be problematic for logistic, availability, and quality reasons.Objective: As part of the European project INNOVAGE, a pilot study was conducted for developing and testing a Web-based psychosocial intervention aimed at empowering family caregivers of older people in Italy, Sweden, and Germany. The program offered information resources and interactive services to enable both professional and peer support.Methods: A mixed-methods, sequential explanatory design was adopted. Caregivers’ psychological well-being, perceived negative and positive aspects of caregiving, and social support received were assessed before and after the 3-month intervention. Poststudy, a subsample of users participated in focus groups to assist in the interpretation of the quantitative results.Results: A total of 94 out of 118 family caregivers (79.7%) from the three countries used the Web platform at least once. The information resources were used to different extents in each country, with Italian users having the lowest median number of visits (5, interquartile range [IQR] 2-8), whereas German users had the highest number (17, IQR 7-66) (P<.001). The interactive services most frequently accessed (more than 12 times) in all countries were the social network (29/73, 40%) and private messages (27/73, 37%). The pretest-posttest analysis revealed some changes, particularly the slight worsening of perceived positive values of caregiving (Carers of Older People in Europe [COPE] positive value subscale: P=.02) and social support received (COPE quality-of-support subscale: P=.02; Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support subscale: P=.04), in all cases with small effect size (r range -.15 to -.18). Focus groups were conducted with 20 family caregivers and the content analysis of discussions identified five main themes: online social support, role awareness, caregiving activities, psychological well-being, and technical concerns. The analysis suggested the intervention was useful and appropriate, also stimulating a better self-efficacy and reappraisal of the caregivers’ role.Conclusions: The intervention seemed to contribute to the improvement of family caregivers’ awareness, efficacy, and empowerment, which in turn may lead to a better self-recognition of their own needs and improved efforts for developing and accessing coping resources. A major implication of the study was the finalization and implementation of the InformCare Web platform in 27 European countries, now publicly accessible (www.eurocarers.org/informcare).
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- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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Caring For People With Multiple Chronic Conditions In Italy : Policy And Practices
- 2015
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In: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 71-71
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 7. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, et al.
(author)
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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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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)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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| 8. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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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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In: Irish Ageing Studies Review. - 1649-9972. ; 6:1, s. 87-87
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 9. |
- 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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| 10. |
- Barbabella, Francesco, et al.
(author)
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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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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)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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