Context/background of the project A former project in Denmark has reduced work injuries among caregivers caused by transfers (moving and handling people with physical impariment) by 36%. These findings are the foundation of this project - titled "Digital Tools and Methods for Safe Transfer Techniques for Caregivers in Today's Health Care Sector" (STTech). According to Eurostat data in 2018, 19% of the EU-28 population was aged 65+. EU-28 population will continue ageing from 2018 to 2080. As the population structure shifts European countries will face two challenges: 1) the cost of supporting older people will rise, and 2) the caregivers will be insufficient to support those in need of help. This scenario highlights the need for solutions able to reduce costs, to lower the workload of caregivers (both professional - public servants and private ones) and to offer effective assistance to older adults. An example is that older people with impaired physical function, need help in order to get from e.g. their bed to their wheelchair. The caregivers are the providers of this service, characterized to be a physically demanding job. As a result, many of the caregivers workers are suffering from back pain, attrition or even work injuries. At the same time, difficulties recruiting caregivers are occurring. Improving caregivers education and work environment, will make the job more attractive. The objectives in the project are to: - extent and develop the competences of educators and others who teach adult caregivers - increase transferability from training/classroom to everyday work - focus on the safety and rehabilitative approach for the patient in the transfer situation - develop new digital tools and methods for teaching safe transfer techniques - develop a Peer Learning model - implement assisted living technology to reduce work injuries - create a hosted and maintained website (during and beyond the end of the project) for free access to the developed tools, guidelines and models in the project Number and profiles of participants The Consortium consists of 6 partners divided in 3 categories: 1. Education of health care workers 2. Work life of caregivers 3. Development of digital tools for caregivers The Consortium includes 3 universities, a nursing home, a research center of interactive media, a municipality and a rehabilitation center to form the project based on different perspectives and skills. The project will build bridge between the education, the caregiver’s work life and the development of digital tools. The partners are: - UCAM (Fundacion Universitaria San Antonio) from Spain - VEVU (Lavoslav Ruzicka, College of Applied Sciences) from Croatia - VIA (University College of Applied Sciences) from Denmark - RISE (Research centre on Interactive Media, Smart Systems and Emerging Technologies) + AMEN (Archangelos Michael Nursing Home) from Cyprus - Västerås Rehabilitation Care Center from Sweden - The Municipality of Aarhus, CFT (Center of Assisted Living Technologies) from Denmark. Leading partner of the STTech project. Description of activities The project is activity based and the activities, such as: analysis, design, development, testing, implementing etc. will lead to the results of the project. Other activities will be dissemination events e.g. a multiplier event in each partner country as well as one transnational learning/teaching/training activity. Methodology to be used in carrying out the project The project will use a participatory methodology with focus on co-creation, co-working, user involvement, user-centered design, peer reviews and person-centered care. Results and impacts envisaged The results will be: Guideline and Toolkit of safe transfer techniques, Digital tools (virtual reality and e-learning program), interactive handbook of peer learning and Open Educational Resource. The impacts envisaged are that teachers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses are enabled to use new methods and digital tools in teaching and spreading best practice of safe transfer techniques. As well as developing and providing free accessible digital tools for the professional caregivers to deliver person-centered care and training. Potential longer-term benefits The overall goal is a long-term effect to reduce attrition and work injuries, to improve education and work environment in the health care sector and to ensure the safety and rehabilitation of patients. Implementing the results of this project in today's health care sector is an investment that will benefit the economy by virtue of less sickdays for caregivers.
The overall and long-term goal of the STTech project was to reduce the numbers of work injuries for caregivers related to transfer situations. The objectives to meet this long-term goal were to: - extent and develop the competences of educators and others who teach adult caregivers - increase transferability from training/classroom to everyday work - focus on the safety and rehabilitative approach for the patient/resident in transfer situations - develop new digital tools and methods for teaching safe transfer techniques - develop a Peer Learning model - implement assisted living technology to reduce work injuries - create a hosted and maintained website for free access to the developed digital tools, guidelines and interactive handbook in the project.
The group of partners applied for funding of the STTech project to reduce work injuries on caregivers caused by transfers of patients with disabilities. A former project in Denmark showed the possibility of reducing work injuries with 36%. The STTech project wanted to build on this experience, go even further and develop new digital tools for teaching safe transfer techniques. The needs for focus on caregivers work environment was well known in the partner countries. The older population is increasing, which is a global tendency and it will cause a larger number of older adults in need of assistance from a shrinking younger population. Analysts and governments agree that our societies will not be able to afford the current care model with the available funding. As the population structure shifts, most European countries will face, two challenges: 1) the cost of supporting older people will rise, and 2) the professional caregivers will be insufficient to support those in need of help. This scenario clearly highlights the urgent need for solutions able to reduce costs, to lower the workload of caregivers and to offer effective assistance to older adults.