Leader: Cecilia Tomassini (UNIMOL); Other collaborator(s): Carlo Lallo (UNIMOL); Caterina del Balso (UNIMOL); Eleonora Meli (ISTAT)
Provision and receipt of care are rarely included in population surveys and the information is not always linked to specific tasks. While difficulties with ADL and IADL are gathered, information on who, how often and how older people receive support is not present in current surveys. Time spent in care provision and other competing activities (such as work, domestic chores and leisure time) is crucial to understand the household organisation, gender roles, socio-economic inequalities among adult and older individuals. Starting from the work done by some members of the spoke for the Authority of Statistical Information, this task aims to provide a comprehensive and evaluative picture of care flows using national representative population surveys that will feed the other WPs and, at the same time, to offer a set of proposals for collecting data on care.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The M12 report of the WP has been submitted to the ministry as milestone. In the meanwhile a revised version of the report has been submitted to the Editor Il Mulino and the revision process has started. The volume will be published in summer 2024. Different versions of the chapters have been accepted for publication in different scientific Journals as Epidemiologia e Prevenzione. Main results of the WP have been presented in various conferences and symposia.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The report include a final part called "the dodecalogue" that provides 12 small but effective ideas in order to improve the demand of care in Italy. Once the report is published, the Dodecalogue will be disseminated with the media. The new ISTAT Famiglia e Soggetti Social that will be in the field in 2024 includes some of the questions proposed by WP1.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Task 1.1. completed the critical review of concepts, measurement tools and statistical sources from sample surveys useful for the study of care for dependent older people in Italy. In particular, concepts of "dependent older people", "disability", "ill-health", "formal vs. informal care", "silver economy and silver law" were critically reviewed and updated according to the most recent literature. The results of this work are contained in two chapters of the book "Avanzare Insieme nella società Anziana", published by "Il Mulino" in June 2024 and are currently being peer-reviewed as a scientific article focusing on statistical sources, in the journal "Epidemiologia e Prevenzione". The definition of these concepts and the review of the available quantitative tools, methods and statistical sources, is also the starting point for the further steps of spoke 5. Thus, task 1.1. began analysing data from the ISTAT sample surveys in order to draw up a picture of care for dependent older people in Italy, taking into account both informal exchanges of help (intra- and extra-familial) and formal care. The first results of this work has been published in June as a chapter in the book "Avanzare Insieme nella società anziana", while more in-depth studies have been submitted to scientific journals.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
Task 1.1. participated in a meeting with stakeholders in Rome in April (https://ageit.eu/wp/2024/05/04/spoke-5-grande-partecipazione-allevento-di-ascolto-e-confronto-con-stakeholders-a-roma/) and in the national Age-It project conference in Venice in May. On both occasions, results were presented and feedback was received that opened up for collaboration with associations and organizations involved in the care of dependent older people, and with local institutions. The improvement and updating of the definitions related to non-self-sufficiency on the one hand, and the availability of a collection of statistical sources and quantitative tools to analyse the phenomenon on the other, were welcomed by stakeholders and local government representatives.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Task 1.1. participated in the Spoke 5 conference held in Termoli (CB) in September 2024 and further disseminated its results to the other Spoke5 WPs. Task 1.1. participated in the Summer School for Artificial Intelligence in Como (https://sites.google.com/unimib.it/advancesinai-2024/home) where it gave a lecture on the potential application of Artificial Intelligence to solve problems related to ageing and care of dependent older people. The research work focused instead on the study of the temporal evolution of contacts between parents and adult children in Italy, analysing the differences between geographical macro-areas, between rural/urban areas and between municipalities in "Inner Area" and "Pole" municipalities, as defined by ISTAT on the basis of the National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI). Currently, after the initial data collection phase, the task is analysing the results of the models and preparing a scientific article to disseminate the results.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
Task 1.1. continued its cooperation with associations and organisations involved in the care of dependent elderly persons, presenting its results to conference and seminars and collecting feedbacks (e.g. the Conference organised by the Chamber of Commerce of Padova and University of Padova: "Problemi e opportunità dell'invecchiamento", September 24, 2024, or the participation with lessons and field works at the Summer School on Artificial Intelligence hosted by the Como Lake School for Advanced Studies, September 23-27, 2024). Participation in the Spoke 5 conference in Termoli was a further opportunity in this regard.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Task 1.1. completed the analysis of the evolution over time of contacts between parents and adult children in Italy, analysing the differences between geographical macro-areas, between rural/urban areas and between municipalities in "Inner Areas" and "Pole Municipalities", as defined by ISTAT on the basis of the National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI): a scientific article has been submitted. Some results of the Age-It project Spoke5 have also been used during the opening of the 2024/2025 academic year of the University of Molise (video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zedmQ_s8MVw). Task 1.1. supported other Tasks in their further studies, in particular with regard to definitions and where to collect data.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
Task 1.1. continued its cooperation with associations and organisations involved in the care of dependent elderly persons, presenting its results to conference and seminars and collecting feedbacks (e.g. Caffè demografico, Staisticall - Festival della Statistica e della demografia, Treviso, 17 october 2024). An article summarising the results of Task 1.4. and 1.1. on care for dependent older people was published in the divulgative review "il Mulino rivista di politica e di cultura", contributing to the public debate on ageing and care for dependent older people in Italy. Participation as invited speaker to the annual meeting of the Association of Avvocati Giuslavoristi Rome 3 -5 October (around 700 attendees). Participation as invited speaker at the Annual Meeting on Integrated Welfare entitled "Demografia e sostenibilità orientano nuove tipologie di investimenti e risparmio" held in Turin 6-8 November 2024. Participation as invited speaker at the Science for Policy Dialogue "Resilient Health Systems for an Ageing EU Population" at the European Commission, 10 December, Brussels.
Scientific Outputs
Books and book chapters
1) Lallo, C. & Tomassini, C. (2024), Studiare la cura di lungo termine: definizioni e quadro concettuale, in C. Tomassini, M. Albertini, e C. Lallo (eds.), Avanzare insieme nella società anziana, Bologna, Il Mulino;
2) Lallo, C., Del Balso, C. & Tomassini, C. (2024), Caratteristiche, organizzazione e fruibilità delle fonti statistiche sull’assistenza agli anziani in Italia in C. Tomassini, M. Albertini, e C. Lallo (eds.), Avanzare insieme nella società anziana, Bologna, Il Mulino;
3) Meli, E., & Tomassini, C. (2024), Gli scambi di aiuto in Italia, in C. Tomassini, M. Albertini, e C. Lallo (eds.), Avanzare insieme nella società anziana, Bologna, Il Mulino.
Journal articles
1) Lallo, C., Del Balso, C. & Tomassini, C. (2024). I micro dati sulla domanda di assistenza degli anziani non autosufficienti in Italia: una ricognizione ragionata delle fonti disponibili. Epidemiologia e Prevenzione, 48 (4-5) july-october, 347-355, DOI: https://doi.org/10.19191/EP24.4-5.A719.098; https://doi.org/10.19191/EP24.4-5.A719.098
2) Lallo, C., Cameli, E., e Tomassini, C. (2024). Domanda e Offerta di Assistenza agli Anziani lungo la penisola. Il Mulino Rivista di politica e di cultura, 4/24. https://www.rivistailmulino.it/isbn/9788815423214
Dissemination events and other (conference papers and proceedings, seminars, schools)
1) Tomassini, C. (2024), In gioco il futuro del Paese, ma ogni are richiede soluzioni caso per caso, interview with the newspaper Sole24Ore, March 17, 2024; https://aria.unimol.it/blog/litalia-spopolata-dei-comuni-interni-sul-domenicale-del-sole-24-ore-uno-speciale-del-centro-aria/
2) Tomassini, C. & Lallo C. (2024), Assistenza agli anziani: le vecchie e le nuove sfide. Prospettive per una società che invecchia: la sfida demografica, Conference organised by Fondazione “La Sapienza”, Rome, April 5, 2024; https://ageit.eu/wp/2024/03/23/spoke-6-evento-prospettive-per-una-societa-che-invecchia-la-sfida-demografica/
3) Tomassini, C. (2024), Presentazione Progetto AGE-IT – Conseguenze e sfide dell’invecchiamento. Verso un invecchiamento dignitoso e attivo in Italia e in Europa, Public policy conference promoted in Rome by Age Platform Europe-Italy that saw the participation of over 100 representatives from EU countries and member organisations of AGE Platform Italy and the intervention of the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policies, Maria Teresa Bellucci, Rome, April 11, 2024; https://cia.it/eventi/verso-un-invecchiamento-dignitoso-e-attivo-in-cia-conferenza-di-age-platform-europe-italy/
4) Tomassini, C. & Lallo C. (2024), Conosciamo il WP1. Report and participation in the Spoke 5 Stakeholder Meeting, PNRR PE8 Age-It project, Department of Engineering, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, April 16-17, 2024; https://ageit.eu/wp/2024/05/04/spoke-5-grande-partecipazione-allevento-di-ascolto-e-confronto-con-stakeholders-a-roma/
5) Lallo, C., Del Balso, C. & Tomassini, C. (2024), Statistical sources to estimate the care needs of older people in Italy. General Meeting Age-It, Venice, May 20-22, 2024; https://ageit.eu/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Programma-Age-It-20-22-Maggio-2024-online.pdf
6) Tomassini, C., Meli, E., Lallo, C., & Pasqualini, M. (2024), Older parents adult children exchanges and rural/urban dimension. Age-It Spoke 5 Meeting, Sustainability of elder care systems in an ageing society, University of Molise, Termoli (CB, Italy), September 11-13, 2024; https://age-it.github.io/spoke5.github.io/#venue
7) Tomassini, C., & Lallo, C. (2024), Demography: challenges for IA. Advances in Artificial Intelligence, Lake Como School of Advanced Studies, Como, September 23-27, 2024; https://sites.google.com/unimib.it/advancesinai-2024/home
8) Tomassini, C. (2024), Problemi e opportunità dell'invecchiamento, Siamo troppi o troppo pochi? Le sfide della demografia in Italia e nel Veneto, Conference organised by Chamber of Commerce of Padua and University of Padua, Department of Statistics, Albano Terme (PD), September 24, 2024; https://www.unipd.it/sites/unipd.it/files/SIAMO%20TROPPI%20O%20TROPPO%20POCHI%20-%20LE%20SFIDE%20DELLA%20DEMOGRAFIA%20IN%20ITALIA%20E%20NEL%20VENETO.pdf
9) Tomassini C. (2024), Il quadro demografico: variabili e sfide dell’invecchiamento, Annual Meeting on integrated welfare entitled "Demografia e sostenibilità orientano nuove tipologie di investimenti e risparmio", Itinerari Prevdenziali, Turin, November 7, 2024. https://www.itinerariprevidenziali.it/site/home/eventi/eventi-2024/annual-meeting-sul-welfare-integrato.html