Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Slovenia sign the cross-border memorandum of understanding for a common model of home care for the frail elderly over 65. On 15 May in Notranje Gorice, the presentation of the final results of the project included in the Interreg V-A Italy-Slovenia 2014-2020 Programme.
NOTRANJE GORICE (SLOVENIA) – the final event of CrossCare took place on 15 May at the Deos Center in Notranje Gorice (Slovenia) with the presentation of the results of the project that aims at an integrated cross-border approach in the care of the frail elderly, included in the Interreg V-A programme Italy-Slovenia 2014-2020. The meeting was attended by all the partners of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Slovenia that signed a protocol of cross-border understanding in a perspective of inter-institutional cooperation in the sector of elderly care.
Led by the Social Cooperative Itaca (lead partner), CrossCare avails itself in Italy of the partnership of Asp Itis Trieste, Residenza per anziani Giuseppe Francescon (Portogruaro), Friuli Venezia Giulia Region – Central Directorate for Health, Social Policies and Disability, Veneto Region – Social Services Directorate, Health Care Agency n. 5 Friuli Occidentale di Pordenone, Local Social and Health Unit n. 4 Eastern Veneto, City of Sacile and Social Service of the Municipalities Livenza Cansiglio Cavallo; in Slovenia of Odu Koper-Coast house of the pensioner Koper, company Deos, Irssv – Slovenian National Institute for Welfare, Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia and House of Health of Koper.
Starting in October 2017, CrossCare carried out an initial analysis of the welfare systems in Europe with regard to the social and health systems and the methods of management and care of the elderly over 65, with particular attention to those in force in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Slovenia. In the face of the survey, the partnership developed a “joint cross-border model” for the integrated and personalised home care of the elderly, a model that was subsequently tested in the Elderly Services Points (PSA) activated in the residential structures involved in the project, namely at Asp Itis in Trieste, at Ipab Residenza per anziani Giuseppe Francescon in Portogruaro (Ve), at the protected residence in Sacile (Pn), and in Slovenia in the residences of Odu Koper – Coastal home of the pensioner in Koper and Deos…
The experimentation was conducted for 6 months involving 93 elderly people, who were taken care of and benefited from a personalized intervention plan that allowed them to stay at home by activating existing resources including home services, associations, psychological support and more.
The methodology of taking charge, which used the SP Web system, was based on the concept of therapeutic arc and on a shared strategy between Italy and Slovenia of multidimensional representation of needs at different times through the polar scheme. The polar scheme tool, together with a quarterly evaluation of the cases in charge, has highlighted the usefulness and effectiveness of the model allowing an accurate analysis of the expected results (based on customized intervention plans) and a constant updating of the intervention plans themselves.
CrossCare has also given great importance to the development of the professional skills of the staff involved, activating specific joint training courses that have reached more than 500 health and social operators, who have embraced the work in multidisciplinary teams, the early care of the frail elderly and the use of Gentlecare, Validation and Basal Stimulation methods.
In the light of the positive results of the experimentation and of the strategies of taking charge and evaluation used, the CrossCare partnership has drawn up a “Cross-border Memorandum of Understanding”, which in a perspective of interinstitutional co-design aims to experiment with a new model of taking charge of elderly people in a condition of fragility or poly pathology and their families, and which will be signed in the coming weeks by all the project partners, and by the institutional partners.
The heterogeneity of the available paths and the complexity of the bureaucratic procedures for access to home care often disorient families who, on the other hand, show the need to be adequately followed. CrossCare intervenes in this segment, identifying and proposing strategies for taking charge that are oriented to preventive intervention and the concept of accompanying the progressive fragilities related to aging.
“CrossCare. CrossCare is an integrated cross-border approach in the care of the elderly” is a project that was created to develop joint solutions that address the progressive aging of the population, both in Italy and in Slovenia, through the networking of existing services with a view to promoting active aging and preventing institutionalization.
Thanks to the experimentation it emerged that the PSAs, managed by care managers, can effectively accompany families in the complicated process of choosing the most appropriate care, places and resources to deal with the fragility of their relatives. The experimentation has shown not only that the Elderly Service Points are a fundamental part of CrossCare as points of listening for families and guidance for taking charge, but also that home services are now an appropriate address to address the risk of institutionalization of the elderly.
