In the COMMUNICARE project, the main objective is to improve the communication skills of informal and non-formal caregivers in long-term care (LTC). Communication is a basic human need that enables personal and social interaction and is the main expression of human relationships. In the framework of LTC and elderly care, a successful communication has significant impact on three main aspects that characterize quality in LTC: a) The ageing well and best possible quality of life for both the care recipients and caregivers b) The effectiveness of the assumed treatment and care giving protocol c) The direct and efficient synergy (cooperation) between the caregiver and the care recipient Furthermore, negative notions like ageism, disdain, anger, neglect, or positive ones like compassion, affection, worry, can define the quality and the result of the communication and subsequently of the care giving procedure in LTC. Therefor a very important parameter for achieving the best possible quality in LTC depends on a well-based and smooth communication between the caregiver and the care recipient. Based on this COMMUNICARE aims to update the communication skills of informal and non-formal caregivers for achieving the best possible quality of life for their beneficiaries and themselves developing training content concerning: - Principles for effective communication in LTC for elderly - Basic principles and methods of communication in different chronic diseases and in reduced hearing - Communication in the new era of technological and medical advancements in LTC The six participating organizations are: WW: Wohlfahrtswerk für Baden-Württemberg is one of the biggest care providers in the south of Germany offering all kinds of services for the elderly. Furthermore, WW has its own training centre and experience in adult learning and further training professional healthcare workers. FZ: Frontida is the most successful home care provider in Greece. FZ will bring its` know how on describing the needs and difficulties in communication of both direct and indirect target groups in home care environment. COOSS: Cooperativa Sociale main objective is to support the integration of disadvantaged people through the provision of social, assisting, social-care, educational and training services and to propose interventions to meet the different needs of the local community. BFI: Berufsförderinstut Oberösterreich is the largest educational institution for adult learners in Austria. They will use their expertise for the preparation and development of education and training materials for informal and non-formal caregivers in LTC, which is a rather diverse group of learners. DHBW: Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg brings more than 40 years of experience in providing high-quality education programmes that include practical training. With their academic background DHBW ensures that the materials are synchronous with current developments in social- and health care. UAEGEAN: Due to its capacity in developing multimedia content the University of the Aegean will provide the technological excellence in the field of ICT learning tools, and can make the project's training content not just easily accessible and comprehensive, but also fun and interactive. Planned methods and activities during the project are a baseline study including an education gap analysis, the development of training content, the development of the online training platform, pilot studies and the development of a sustainability plan. The envisioned impact and main result is raising awareness on the importance of communication as a useful tool on the hands of the caregivers, and achieving an effective and mutually beneficial relationship between the caregiver and the care recipient. Which lead to the following long-term benefits: 1. Developing a meaningful and trustful relationship between the care giver and the care recipient. 2. Improving quality of life for patients in LTC. 3. Improving the quality of life for the caregivers 4. Promotion of home based care and of person-centered approach in LTC. 5. Upgrading the role of informal/non-formal caregivers in LTC.
As communication has a huge influence on the caregiving procedure and the well-being of caregiver and care receiver, the main objective of the Communicare project was to update and improve the communication skills of informal and non-formal caregivers for achieving the best possible quality of life for their beneficiaries and themselves. We wanted to achieve a better level of satisfaction and high-quality services in long-term Care settings. Ultimately, our goal was to create an advanced digital learning environment that would elevate the quality of care provided to the elderly by fostering improved communication practices among caregivers.
The main reason to apply for the Communicare project was to improve communication skills of informal and non-formal caregivers in long-term care for the elderly as Europe is facing serious demographic changes. The proportion of the EU population aged 80 and over will increase two and a half times between 2021 and 2100, from 6.0% to 14.6%. The over-65s will account for 31.3% of the EU population by the end of the century (Janson 2022). Accordingly this topic is important for all caregivers of the European countries, so the project was a great opportunity to learn from each other and work together in developing an online training for caregivers. Communication is a basic human need that enables personal and social interaction and is the main expression of human relationships. In the framework of Long-Term-Care (LTC) and elderly care, a successful communication has significant impact on three main aspects that characterize quality in LTC: a) The ageing well and best possible quality of life for both the care recipients and caregivers b) The effectiveness of the assumed treatment and care giving protocol c) The direct and efficient synergy (cooperation) between the caregiver and the care recipient.