Leader: Montesi (UNIBO); Other collaborator(s): UNIMOL, LEGACOOP
Care-work is a significant field of research for the labour market: on the one side, the strong presence of female workers leads to a dynamic of segregation, exclusion and exploitation; on the other side, ageing claims for greater investment in long-term care services, together with the growing female employment rate in the labour market, which has decreased the availability of unpaid care work. The lack of adequate economic resources, the shortage of workforce and the under-financing of personal assistance as a consequence of the privatisation of care services heavily affected working conditions in care sector. The recent Italian reform on older people (law n.33/2023) defines measures aimed at improving home and continuous care for dependent older people and their families (caregivers), as well as promoting policies in favour of active ageing. Additionally, the pandemic stressed the role of care-work in areas that are naturally disadvantaged from a geographical point of view, such as remote, mountainous or sparsely populated areas (so called “inner areas”). This task will:
- detecting main distribution channels of care services (family welfare, also known as “Do It Yourself Welfare”; territorial welfare, the latter characterized by territorial/regional policies/interventions);
- verifying whether the shortage of long-term care services (which, at a national level, has favoured family welfare) represents, in inner areas, a factor of attraction for the migrant population, in particular for foreign women who can be employed in care sector;
- counting actions, best practices and virtuous examples that can be implemented at the local/regional level to address challenges associated with active ageing, also from the point of view of care worker protection;
- analysing regional regulation that can systematize interventions, actors and resources concerning the care sector in an organic and integrated way;
- measuring the efficiency so called “proximity services” in inner areas, in order to monitor emerging needs as well as the promotion of active ageing.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results:
In order to co-design the training modules with end-users (i.e., formal and informal caregivers, including home workers with migrant backgrounds) semi-structured interviews and focus groups have been completed.
Specifically, the data collection consisted of:
- two focus groups with family caregivers (N= 19);
- two focus groups with professionals working with older adults (N=13);
- semi-structured interviews with migrant care workers (N=24);
- a workshop with caregiver associations.
Collected data were analysed by the means of content analysis, and codes, themes and sub-themes were generated for each target (i.e., informal, formal caregivers and migrant care workers) related data. Results from focus groups and interviews mainly dealt with the participants’ experiences as caregivers, the impact of caregiving on their lives, and training needs.
Then, results from literature review (which was carried out in the first-year project) and qualitative data analysis were grouped for each target to generate a draft of core contents to be included into our supporting information/training platform. Based on the so identified structure of training modules, we found that some contents (e.g., aging, dementia and prevention, person-centred care) are common across tasks, while others are specific to each target.
Currently, we are working on delivering a syllabus for each module which includes the main objectives, contents and materials (slide presentations, tutorials etc.). Furthermore, we are looking for collaborations within the Spoke 5 and outside to integrate the platform contents and link them to other resources useful for caregivers.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
Without prior knowledge and training, it is difficult to cope and adjust to caregiver roles. Since caregivers often do not receive information on crucial aspects of care, education and training represent a significant form of support for them. This is important both to ensure high-quality care for older adults living with dementia and to reduce caregivers’ stress.
Formal training and the dissemination of the research results are part of the process of knowledge transfer to all end users involved in care, with potential positive impact on the sustainability of our ageing society and the implementation of a successful model of ageing communities.
We wish to reach this by:
- delivering contents modules for formal and informal caregivers with basic information about aging, dementia, and skills needed to cope both with care-recipient and self-care issues;
- developing a user-friendly learning platform for end-users by following the principles of community care, person-centred care and co-design, as to build skills and to offer information about the available services, when and how to access them;
- building a network with end-user organizations with the aim of coproduction and dissemination.
The output of WP5 will be informed by the results of the other WPs, and links to community resources useful for caregivers will be embedded within the platform as well.
To obtain a framework for the content on the platform, each task (5.2., 5.4., 5.6.) conducted a literature review regarding its topic of expertise..
Then, each task participated in the data collection phase to co-design the platform and its content. Specifically, interviews and focus groups were conducted with formal and informal caregivers, foreign family care assistants and social workers.
Moreover, contributions were presented at national and international conferences.
Each task (5.2., 5.4., 5.6.) participated in the construction and revision of the lessons that will constitute the content of the platform. Specifically, the following learning modules were prepared: ageing, dementia and prevention, communication, diagnosis, person-centered care, therapy, practical techniques for working alongside the person with dementia, home management, ethical and legal aspects, services for people affected by dementia, emergency management, the care of the caregiver, services available for caregiver and support communities, dementia and communication, self-care, legal aspect of labour, technologies and active ageing, care relationships, territorial networks and services, basi elements of dementia, the biographical folder of the patient, medical and legal aspect of non-self sufficiency.
Moreover, contributions were presented at national and international conferences.
Moreover, contributions were presented at national and international conferences.
During this period, significant progress was made in reviewing and refining the learning modules, ensuring their relevance, clarity, and alignment with the needs of formal and informal caregivers, family care assistant with a migration background and social service professionals.
Furthermore, members of each task started collaborating with the external company hired to design the e-learning platform. Meetings were held to review progress, provide feedback, and ensure that the design and development of the platform can be closely aligned with the needs identified in the co-design phase. This collaboration between researchers and the company ought to allow for the integration of user-centered features into the platform, with particular attention to user experience, usability, and functionality. The research team aim to ensure that all technological developments remain consistent with the project’s goals of accessibility, equity, and social inclusion.
Furthermore, contributions continued to be presented at national and international conferences.
- Golino, A., & Grignoli, D. (2024, 12-15 December). Riscoprirsi nella memoria delle persone anziane attraverso il racconto delle donne migranti [Conference presentation]. Roots Tourism Conference, Calabria University, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
- Pronzato, R. (2024, 18-20 September). Co-design and the enactment of digital technologies: a theoretical perspective on eHealth interventions [Conference presentation]. Midterm Italian Sociological Association (AIS) Conference, Salento University, Lecce, Italy.
- Grignoli, D., Golino, A., Santini, S., Cancellieri, S., Casanova, G., Chattat, R., Chirico, I., Moretti, V. & Pronzato, R. (2024, 11-13 September). Old people, care and training needs of migrant women. A survey in central Italy [Conference presentation]. Spoke5 Conference, University of Molise, Termoli, Italy.
- Chirico, I., Santini, S., Casanova, G., Golino, A., Grignoli, D., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., & Chattat, R. (2024, 8-10 October). The information and training needs of informal caregivers of people living with dementia: A literature review and empirical study [Poster]. 34th Alzheimer Europe Conference, Geneve, Switzerland.
- Pronzato, R. (2024, 11-13 September). Co-design and the enactment of digital technologies: a theoretical perspective on eHealth interventions [Conference presentation]. Spoke5 Conference, University of Molise, Termoli, Italy,.
- Chirico, I., Santini, S., Casanova, G., Golino, A., Grignoli, A., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., & Chattat, R. (2024, 11-13 September). Barriers to accessing and using information and traning courses for informal caregivers: the Age-It project [Conference presentation]. Spoke5 Conference, University of Molise, Termoli, Italy.
- Santini, S., Casanova, G., Cancellieri, S., Grignoli, D., Golino, A., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., Chirico, I., & Chattat, R. (2024, 11-13 September). Educational offer in elderly care for migrant family care assistants in Italy and abroad: results from a rapid desk review [Conference presentation]. Spoke5 Conference, University of Molise, Termoli, Italy.
- Golino, A., & Grignoli, D. (2024, 4-6 September 2024). Welfare, persone anziane e donne migranti. Il fil rouge della fragilità nelle trame della narrazione [Conference presentation]. XVII Conference ESPANet, University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
- Pronzato, R. (2024, 27-30 August). Enacting algorithmic technologies in the co-design of eHealth interventions [Conference presentation]. 16th European Sociological Association (ESA) Conference, Porto, Portugal.
- Pronzato, R. (2024, 16-19 July). Enacting AI/ML-based systems in the co-design of eHealth interventions [Conference presentation]. European Association for the Study of Science and Technology and the Society for Social Studies of Science (EASST/4S) Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Pronzato, R. (2024, 3-5 July). Enacting algorithmic technologies in the co-design of eHealth interventions [Conference presentation]. 20th Biennial European Society of Health and Medical Sociology (ESHMS) conference, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Golino, A., Grignoli, D., & Santini, S. (2024, June, 18-20). Welfare, older people and migrant women working in the care sector: a survey in central Italy [Conference presentation]. 5th Street-level Bureaucracy Conference, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Santini, S., Golino, A., Grignoli, D., Galassi, F., Casanova, G., Chirico, I., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., & Chattat, R. (2024, 20-22 May). Exploring elderly care training needs of migrant family care assistants of older people with dementia in Italy: a qualitative study within the AGE-IT project [Conference presentation]. General Meeting Age-It, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy.
- Chirico, I., Santini, S., Casanova, G., Golino, A., Grignoli, A., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., & Chattat, R. (2024, May 20-22). The process design and development of a digital tool to inform and support informal caregivers [Conference presentation]. General Meeting Age-It, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy.
- Grignoli, D., Golino, A., Santini, S., Casanova, G., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., Chattat, R. & Chirico, I. (2024, 20-22 May). Formal caregivers and training needs: some results of a qualitative survey [Poster presentation]. General Meeting Age-It, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy.
- Pronzato, R. (2024, 20-22 May). Enacting algorithmic technologies in the co-design of eHealth interventions [Poster presentation]. General Meeting Age-It, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy.
- Chirico, I., Santini, S., Casanova, G., Galassi, F., Golino, A., Grignoli, A., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., & Chattat, R. (2024, 24-26 April). Providing support for dementia carers throught the co- design of education and training courses: A 3-years research project [Conference presentation]. 36th Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International, Krakow, Poland.
- Golino, A., Grignoli, D., Chattat, R., Chirico, I., Moretti, V., Pronzato, R., Santini, S., Casanova, G. & Galassi, F: (2023, 13 November). The community tailored to older people: an integrated training project [Conference presentation]. Active and Healthy Ageing, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
- Pronzato, R., Moretti, V., Chirico, I., Golino, A., Grignoli, D., Santini, S. & Chattat, R: (2024, 20-21 September). Addressing digital inclusion in the co-design of an e-learning platforms for home caregivers [Conference presentation]. Digital Inclusion Policy and Research Conference, University of Liverpool, UK, online.
- Chirico, I., Golino, A., Pronzato, R., Casanova, G., Grignoli, D., Moretti, V., Santini, S., Chattat, R. (2023, 13-15 September). Meeting the educational needs of caregivers of people with dementia through the co-design of a sustainable e-learning platform [Conference presentation]. Aging & Social Change: 13th Interdisciplinary Conference, Università Politecnica dell Marche, Ancona, Italy.