Category: CrossCare

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.

FEBRUARY 5TH 2019 – CROSS CARE MEETING WITH INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS IN PORTOGRUARO

If families caring of frail elderly people are helped in early identification of needs, the result is an improvement of the whole family well-being. These are the findings shared at the interinstitutional meeting of Cross Care project, held in Portogruaro (Ve) on February the 5th where the results of the experimentation in Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Slovenia have been presented.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Cooperativa sociale Itaca (lead partner), Asp Itis Trieste, Residence for the elderly Giuseppe Francescon – Portogruaro, Azienda Unità Socio Sanitaria n. 4 Eastern Veneto, Veneto Region – Social Services Department, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region – Central Health Department, Social Health Integration, Social and Family Policies, City of Sacile – Protected Residence for the elderly, and Azienda Assistenza Sanitaria n.5 Western Friuli – Pordenone.

The project, led by Cooperativa sociale Itaca and included in the Interreg VA Italy-Slovenia 2014-2020 program, promotes an integrated cross-border approach to care elderly through the networking of existing services to promote active aging and prevent institutionalization.

“The result of the experimentation – highlights the director of the Zancan Foundation, Cinzia Canali – has exceeded the most optimistic expectations and has highlighted the importance of the early identification of needs: as soon as the family is helped to bring out their needs, the more effective and positive is the outcome in terms of social and health well-being for the frail elderly and for the whole family”.

Innovative social policies have been developed within the project to support families that take care of frail and polypathological elderly people. Facing all the different and unclear ways to access home care, CrossCare has developed a best practice named Service Center created within residential care facilities as these services are known as places where having info on all the activities planned for aging. Service Centers are managed by a care manager who accompany the family in the complex process of choosing places and resources to deal with fragility.

The experimentation has shown not only that Service Center are a fundamental part of CrossCare as tey can collect families needs and guide the path to assistence, but also that home services are today an adequate address to face the risk of institutionalization of the elderly.

CrossCare project has involved 97 people over 65 with polypathologies, also with cognitive-behavioral diseases. Comparing the different situations, the results with people suffering from cognitive-behavioral diseases were surprising: an adequate assistance has helped in handling frail people everyday life, improving well-being for the whole family.

Within CrossaCare more than 400 operators have been trained in Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and in Slovenian Republic. The training have deepened issues regarding multidisciplinary team work, early management of the frail elderly and the use of innovative methods such as Validation (empathic relationship with frail and families) and Gentlecare.

The meeting in Portogruaro confirmed the interest of the Institutions for the CrossCare project and the model of taking care, which places the residential structures – through the Service Center – in a crucial position also for the early home care (before families begin path with social services). The project activities also confirmed that networking is the only way to intercept families needs linked with age-related frailties, offering tailored made solutions to support caregivers and elderly people needs.