Content Materials to Raise Content Materials to Raise EmployabilityEmployability

and Reinforce Skills of Carers and Reinforce Skills of Carers (CARERS)(CARERS)

Supported by the Program Lifelong Learning of the European Union

Germain Weber – Barbara Brehmer – Elisabeth ZeilingerUniversity of Vienna – Faculty of Psychology

CARERS – Background CARERS – Background

• Demographic change leads to increasing request for qualified carers

• 75% persons are cared for by family members or untrained staff (Austrian ministry for labour, social affairs and consumerism, 2007)

• 3 challenges for the EU– Access to care for everyone– High quality of care– Financial sustainability of the health care systems

• Connected to the EU-Project “ECL-European Care License” (Leonardo da Vinci)

CARERS – Project Facts CARERS – Project Facts

Project-Number: ES/ LLP-LdV/TOI/149063Duration of project: 01.11.2007 – 31.10.2009Total budget: 336.595,00 Euro (EC 252.446,00 Euro)

Project partners:• Project Management: Institute for Lifelong Learning –

University of Barcelona• Université de Toulouse le Mirail (F)• Social Innovative Network, Graz (A)• Universität Wien, Fakultät für Psychologie (A)• Université du Luxembourg (L) • CARITAS Lithuania (LT)• Stowarzyszenie Pomocy Osobom Niepełnosprawnym,

SPON (PL)

CARERS – TasksCARERS – Tasks1. Development of 6 trainings (à 8 hours) in 6

languages2. Pilot Study (Lithuania)

– Training of the 6 modules for 300 informal carers in 6 countries by 30 trainers (France, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland, Spain) in 2009

3. Improvement of material by evaluation of (Luxembourg)

- Trainers (Usability)- Participants (pre/ post – questionnaires)- „Best Practice Guide“: Sample of experiences of all

partners, how to compose and design training material4. National and international publications of goals

and activities of CARERS project (Vienna)– Creating a Webpage

5. International Closing Conference in Brussels, October 2009 (Graz)

Pre/Post - Pre/Post - QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

CARERS – Webpage CARERS – Webpage http://www.carers-project.euhttp://www.carers-project.eu

CARERS – Target Groups CARERS – Target Groups

• Informal carers– People not trained in areas of care: e.g. acting as

carers for partners, children, relatives, friends or neighbours with special needs

– No professional training in the care sector– Non care qualified immigrants, with no special

experiences in the work with elderly people or with people with special needs

• Professionals in the care sector, in social work or psychology, who could act as trainers for informal carers

CARERS – Modules of CARERS – Modules of TrainingTraining1. The role of an informal carer (Toulouse)

– What means dependency?– A carer’s needs?– How can care be improved?

2. Care of elderly people (Barcelona)– Maintenance of activities of everyday life (communication,

meals, hygiene, mobility, etc.) – Behavioural disorders and cognitive stimulation

3. Care of people with mental disorders (Barcelona)– Overview of mental disorders and treatment possibilities,

especially the medication– Dementia– Personal autonomy, communication, social resources etc.

4. Care of elderly people with intellectual disabilities (Vienna)

5. Care of children with disabilities (Graz)- Life quality, body signals, development of autonomy

6. Tool box for carers (Luxembourg)- Grief, stress und stress-treatment (relaxation etc.)

CARERS – Training MaterialCARERS – Training Material• Structure of the training handouts

– Overview– Central issues of the 6 different modules

(evidence based) and case studies– Exercises in small groups and discussion– Summary and further material (literature,

addresses of institutions, legal requirements)

• Further:– Development of guidelines for trainers

(Toulouse)– Online support of the trainings (download and

chat; no e-learning)– Production of DVD‘s

CARERS – Online TrainingCARERS – Online Training

Pilot StudyPilot Study„Elderly people with intellectual „Elderly people with intellectual

disability“disability“

• Development of the material:– Evidenced based (current state of research)– Comparison of the characteristics of people with

disabilities with the general population– Part 1 is about the possible age related changes

(physical, social or psychological) and part 2 about resources

• General conditions:– 2 trainers = clinical/health psychologists– Max. 15 participants (relatives or inexperienced

carers)– Duration 8h: Friday afternoon and Saturday morning– Accessibility

CARERS – Pilot StudyCARERS – Pilot Study1. Meeting of experts:

– 9 people – Presenting the training material (content &

methods)– Feedback

• Good evidence of a central theme• Comprehensible exercises, congruent to

training goals• Critical comments on the descriptions of the

psychological health of people with intellectual disabilities and the educational implementation of the training

CARERS – Pilot StudyCARERS – Pilot Study• Participants: 7 parents (5 women and 2 men)

– Age: 38 – 68– No previous experience with training

• Content related personal experiences of the participants:

– Difficulties to get information– A lot of self-confidence required from the parents (e.g.

toward public authorities etc.)– High financial expenses/ high political awareness– Stress/ defer the own needs

CARERS – Pilot StudyCARERS – Pilot Study• Descriptive analysis of the pre/post -

questionnaires:– Expectations fulfilled– EVERYONE was satisfied with content, material,

duration, instruction „it was liberating – I feel more relieved and it was possible to

talk well in the group“„very informative – but above all very good and kind trainers“

– EVERYONE would recommend the training! • Comments to the procedure:

– High need of communication between parents: case based units and practical exercises took more time, then planned

– All contents could be presented as planned– Mutual process of learning (participants & trainers)

CARERS – SummaryCARERS – Summary

• “Informal care”– Offer of support for informal carers – Additional target group in Austria are civil

servants

• Training– Positive Feedback– Difficult to reach informal carers caring for

people with disabilities (not organized systematically)

• high need of systematic dissemination for public authorities / NGOs

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

Germain Weber (Coordination)Germain.weber@univie.ac.at

Barbara Brehmer (Training & Dissemination)Barbara.Brehmer@univie.ac.at

Elisabeth Zeilinger (Homepage & Online Training)Elisabeth.zeilinger@univie.ac.at

http://www.carers-project.eu