Eldicare 2.0

🇧🇬 Elevating Elderly Care: Bulgaria’s National Health Strategy 2030  The National Health Strategy 2030 of the Republic of Bulgaria places a strong emphasis on improving the lives of older citizens, particularly through Policy 3.6: Healthy Aging and Geriatric Care. This policy aims to create conditions that allow elderly individuals to maintain their independence and quality of life for as long as possible. 🗝️ Key Initiatives:  - Favourable Living Environments: Investments will focus on renovating and upgrading public buildings, transport, residential areas, and medical facilities. - Improved Healthcare Access: Equal access to medical and dental services, affordable medicines, and specialist care will be prioritised. - Integrated Health and Social Support: Efforts will centre on delivering high-quality health and social services tailored to individual needs. The aim is to help older adults stay in their home environments with adequate support. - Capacity Building for Professionals: Training will be provided to healthcare and social care workers, including psychological support services, to strengthen the workforce for elderly care. - Enhanced Long-term Care Services: New services will be developed to meet population needs, with a focus on home-based care to ensure comfort and familiarity for the elderly. - Focus on Dementia Care: Specialised care and training will be introduced for professionals involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and support of individuals with dementia. 💡To achieve these goals, the strategy outlines significant investments:  - Renovation and repair of medical facilities for long-term treatment and rehabilitation.  - Procurement of new medical equipment and furnishings.  - Development of geriatric and palliative care centres. 🌱The strategy also promotes healthy lifestyles across the life cycle, with special emphasis on people aged 65 and over. It seeks to ensure that older adults have access to quality care, affordable medicines, and a supportive environment that allows them to live actively and independently.  This comprehensive vision reflects Bulgaria’s commitment to addressing the challenges of an ageing population. What aspects of this approach do you find most impactful? Share your thoughts #Eldicare #ElderlyCare #ErasmusPlus #VET #EU #EUVocationalExcellence #EUVocationalSkills #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals #vocationaltraining #healthyageing iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB)

Bringing the gaps in long-term elderly care 🌐 In light of the 2019 European Health Interview Survey (EHIS), nearly 47% of elderly individuals in the EU with severe difficulties in personal care or household tasks reported lacking the assistance they need. For instance, 17.2% struggle with getting in and out of a chair, and 16.5% face challenges with bathing or showering activities that may seem effortless to people of young age and good health yet create severe psychological distress for the elderly. Such statistics highlight the pressing need for enhanced long-term care services and support. 🧠 The Eldicare 2.0 project aligns with this need, focusing on workforce development and training to address these and competence gaps (i.e., soft and digital skills in the workforce). By improving access to skilled caregivers and innovative care models,    Eldicare 2.0 aims to ensure that our elderly population receives the dignified, comprehensive support they deserve. #Eldicare #ElderlyCare #ErasmusPlus #VET #EU #EUVocationalExcellence #EUVocationalSkills #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals #vocationaltraining #healthyageing iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB)

🇪🇺Long-term care needs are expected to grow tremendously in the EU over the next few decades, and it is not just about those aged 65+. In 2024, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre reported a staggering increase in demand within the elderly care sector. By 2070, approximately 21% more individuals aged 50 and older are estimated to require long-term care, compared to the demand in 2020. 🌍Expanding the workforce is a crucial starting point to tackle this challenge. An essential aspect of this strategy is ensuring that the workforce is not only sufficient in numbers but also highly skilled to meet the pressing needs of long-term care recipients. 💻With global technological advancements, the nature of long-term care is evolving. Care providers must now be digitally competent to utilize an array of digital assessment tools and monitoring systems to ensure high-quality care. Eldercare 2.0 addresses this need by updating current occupational profiles with essential new skills for elderly care practitioners. In addition to digital literacy, it emphasises other emerging skill areas such as green skills, entrepreneurship, and patient-centred care. This approach aims to both upskill and reskill caregivers to seamlessly meet the skills demands of the future. iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB)

💡 Why Updating Occupational Profiles in the Care Sector is Crucial As the needs of our aging population grow, so does the demand for skilled caregivers. The care sector is evolving rapidly, and it’s essential to ensure that Occupational Profiles reflect the latest skills and qualifications required to meet these new challenges. By updating these profiles, we can: ✅ Align caregiving roles with modern healthcare demands.  ✅ Ensure caregivers are equipped with digital skills, empathy, and the ability to handle complex care needs.  ✅ Increase the attractiveness of caregiving as a profession by offering up-to-date and relevant training opportunities.  ✅ Support the quality of care across Europe and foster a more prepared workforce in line with ESCO standards.  ✅ Guarantee that caregivers are ready for future demands such as the green transition and digitalization in healthcare.    As part of the Eldicare 2.0 project, we are committed to driving this change by collaborating with partners across the Europen Union. Together, we will shape the future of elderly care and ensure that the profession continues to thrive with the right skills in place. #CareSector #OccupationalProfiles #Eldicare #FutureOfWork #HealthcareInnovation #SkillsDevelopment #CaregiverSkills #DigitalTransition #GreenTransition #ErasmusPlus iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB)

💡 This month, the Eldicare 2.0 project is officially starting the development of new and revised Occupational Profiles for Caregivers, aligned with the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) framework. These profiles will reflect the specific needs of each participating country and will be submitted for validation at the national and EU levels. 🌍 We are proud to collaborate with our partners to enhance the caregiving sector by updating essential skills and qualifications to meet the evolving demands of the elderly care sector. Stay tuned for more updates as we make strides in reshaping the future of caregiving! #Eldicare #Caregiving #OccupationalProfiles #ESCO #ElderlyCare #EUProjects #SkillsDevelopment #Healthcare #ErasmusPlus iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA

💡 EU Validation Workshop: Driving the Future of Elderly Care   On the 5th of September 2024, the Eldicare 2.0 consortium conducted a workshop to validate the methodology and findings of the report, EU Blueprint: The Visioning of the To-Be Elderly Care Providers. The workshop explored the impact of COVID-19 on older people and their care, identified existing skills gaps, and assessed the evolving needs of the workforce in this critical sector. Key insights from the discussion: ✅ Uniform skill gaps across Europe, including language, digital, and entrepreneurial skills. ✅ Migrant workers are essential to elderly care, but there’s a pressing need to improve the recognition of their qualifications and offer legal support to employers navigating migration policies. ✅ A holistic approach involving governments, VET providers, and local authorities is crucial to creating a person-centred care system. ✅ Digital skills are vital for both online training and on-the-job technology use, while more research is needed to address the financial burden of training. This workshop allowed us to refine these recommendations and take steps to ensure the elderly receive the care they deserve. 🌟 Let’s keep pushing for innovative solutions in elderly care!    #Eldicare #ElderlyCare #Upskilling #Reskilling #PersonCentredCare #MigrantWorkers #HealthcareTraining #DigitalSkills #WorkforceDevelopment iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA

As previously presented in the last post, a scientifically valid mixed-methodology, coordinated by Gérontopôle AURA and conducted by the partners, was used to respond to the objectives of WP3.    In this post, we will be diving in the quantitative methods; surveys, which involve collecting generalizable data from a larger sample. For this study, an online survey, translated to the local languages of the implementing countries and the members of the EU-level partners, was conducted via Lime Survey. The objective was to do a skills assessment of skill mismatches and upskilling and reskilling needs of the workforce in the older adult care sector, with an emphasis on green and entrepreneurial skills (task 2). The choice of this platform being mainly being its data privacy. The target population consisted of older adult carers, both professionals and informal, from the consortium and its member countries. A statistical analysis was conducted by Gérontopôle AURA, the coordinators of this WP, with scores and averages cross-tabulated with variables such as occupation and country of origin. A total of 595 carers participated to the survey from over 11 countries; 170 participants from Spain, 113 from France, 104 from Bulgaria, 61 from Austria, 54 from the Czech Republic, 44 from Greece, 29 from other EU countries, 9 from Belgium, 5 from Portugal, 3 from Italy, 2 from Germany and 1 from Luxembourg. More detailed information on the sample and key results will be shared next month! ℹ️ Keep up to date with insights, updates, and opportunities to engage with our project via our website https://eldicare2-0.eu/ and Eldicare 2.0 social media channels   #Eldicare #ElderlyCare #ErasmusPlus #VET #EU #EUVocationalExcellence #EUVocationalSkills #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals #vocationaltraining #healthyageing #qualityassurance    iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA

As previously presented in the last post, a scientifically valid mixed-methodology, coordinated by Gérontopôle AURA and conducted by the partners, was used to achieve to the objectives of WP3.    In this post, we will dive in the qualitative methods; individual and group interviews. Qualitative data, in this case collected through semi-structured individual interviews and group interviews, aims to explore participants’ experiences and perceptions in depth.    For both interview methodologies, an interview guide was prepared in advance, to address the research objective. The target public for the interviews consisted of carers and professionals working with older adults. The objectives of the interviews were: ✅ For the group interviews; a post-Covid impact assessment and skills needs with a focus on digital and soft skills (task 1) ✅ For the individual interviews; a skills assessment of skill mismatches and upskilling and reskilling needs of the workforce in the older adult care sector, with an emphasis on green and entrepreneurial skills (task 2) Gérontopôle AURA, the coordinators of this WP, centralized and conducted a thematic analysis. A total of 101 carers participated to the interviews. 7 group interviews were conducted; 5 in the implementing countries and 2 on the EU-level, there was a total of 42 participants. For the individual interviews, there was a total of 59 participants over 6 implementing countries. More detailed information on the sample and key results will be shared next month! ℹ️ Keep up to date with insights, updates, and opportunities to engage with our project via our website https://eldicare2-0.eu/ and social media Eldicare 2.0    #Eldicare #ElderlyCare #ErasmusPlus #VET #EU #EUVocationalExcellence #EUVocationalSkills #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals #vocationaltraining #healthyageing #qualityassurance    iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA

The Work Package 3 (WP3) consisted of investigating the current and future skills gaps in the elderly care sector across Europe. To reach this objective, a mixed-methodology research, created and coordinated by Gérontopôle AURA, was used to offer a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of phenomena, combining the strengths of both qualitative and quantitative approaches.    🔵Quantitative methods, such as surveys, allow for systemic data collection. On the other hand, qualitative data, such as individual and group interviews in the case of this study, provide in-depth insights into the experiences, perceptions and points of view of the participants. Integrating both these methodologies offers a more comprehensive understanding and complementary insights into the searched data and of the researched phenomena. The first step of WP3 was a desk research. Two desk reviews were conducted to provide a large corpus of documents of national and European reports, independent report and scientific literature. A desk research per country was realized to assess :  💡 skills’ needs in the post-covid era with a focus on digital and soft skills (task 1) ;  💡 skill mismatches and upskilling and reskilling needs of the workforce in the elderly care sector with an emphasis on green and entrepreneurial skills (task 2).    👉Both desk reviews were conducted simultaneously by all partners and everyone followed a similar methodology for screening, including, excluding and analysing documents, based on key-words that were determined by the partnering research team. Gérontopôle AURA then centralized and analyzed all this information. Desk reviews’ results were used to build the contextualization and the on-site research methodology. ℹ️ Keep up to date with insights, updates, and opportunities to engage with our project via our website https://eldicare2-0.eu/ and social media Eldicare 2.0    #Eldicare #ElderlyCare #ErasmusPlus #VET #EU EUVocationalExcellence #EUVocationalSkills #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals #vocationaltraining #healthyageing #qualityassurance    iekAKMIedu | AKMI International| Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement| FNAQPA| Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA 

Already 1 year of involvement for the 9 European countries in the Eldicare 2.0 project. Here is a retrospective in picture of this first year and the major steps already accomplished ⏪ Currently, the 17 project partners are finalizing Work Package 3 (WP3) : a crucial stage where all countries have assessed changes in skills needs in the post-Covid era (digital, soft, green and entrepreneurial skills) and the reskilling and upskilling needs of the caregivers. The methodology for this WP was created and coordinated by Gérontopôle AURA. ℹ️ Keep up to date with insights, updates, and opportunities to engage with our project via our website https://eldicare2-0.eu/ and social media Eldicare 2.0    #Eldicare #ElderlyCare #ErasmusPlus #VET #EU #EUVocationalExcellence #EUVocationalSkills #healthcare #healthcareprofessionals #vocationaltraining #healthyageing #qualityassurance    iekAKMIedu | AKMI International | Aktios Elderly Care | ACQUIN e.V. | BK CON | Asociace poskytovatelů sociálních služeb České republiky | Metropolitan College Global Engagement | FNAQPA | Gérontopôle AURA | Lares Mayores | ÖJAB – Österreichische JungArbeiterBewegung / Austrian Young Workers Movement | Blocks Health and Social Care | DAYANA-X Ltd. | Eurocarers | EUROPEAN AGEING NETWORK (EAN) | European Social Network | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) | European Vocational Training Association - EVTA