TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE OF PERSONS WITH ADVANCED DEMENTIA THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES IN DOMICILIARY ENVIRONMENTS SUPPORTED BY ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES Erasmus Project

Project Title

TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE OF PERSONS WITH ADVANCED DEMENTIA THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES IN DOMICILIARY ENVIRONMENTS SUPPORTED BY ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia (www.who.int), 10 million in Europe. Projections indicate an exponential growth in the following decades, increasing the severity of cases (2019 Alzheimer Europe Yearbook, Estimating the prevalence of dementia in Europe).

Most advanced stages of the disease occur in GDS phases 6 and 7 (Global Deterioration Scale for the Assessment of Primary Degenerative Dementia). In Phase 6 there is a severe cognitive decline, incontinence, delirium, compulsions, anxiety or agitation, among others, and people require extensive help to do daily activities. In Phase 7 there is very severe cognitive decline, lost of the ability to speak or communicate and psychomotor skills, like the ability to walk (www.dementiacarecentral.com).
The number of persons with advanced dementia (PwAD) living and receiving care in domiciliary environments is growing as their life expectancy grows and due to the deinstitutionalization trends where, according to the Quality of Life (QoL) Model, they should stay at their home as much as possible.

AD at HOME project is launched with the main objective of increasing the competences (attitudes, knowledge, skills) of Carers on how to improve Quality of Life of Persons with Advanced Dementia (GDS 6-7) in domiciliary environments.

Specific objectives:
• To aware the target group about the effectiveness and impact of proper care for the QoL of both PwAD and Carers
• To create and transfer guidelines and tools on how to;
 Implement existing innovative strategies for improving QoL of PwAD (GDS 6-7) in domiciliary environments, focusing in Non-Verbal Communication and Sensorial Stimulation.
 Adapt the main care tasks of PwAD (GDS 6-7) in domiciliary environments
 Apply Assistive Technologies for improving QoL for PwAD (GDS 6-7) in domiciliary environments.
• Increase competences of Carers for self-care to help them face the ethical challenges of caring, reduce the burden and prevent their burn out.

According to that, the next results will be developed:
I.O.1 Co-Designed Training Scheme
A Training Scheme of the “AD at Home” Training Program will be developed with the direct involvement of potential END USERS (CARERS) as “experts” of the daily needs of PwAD in advanced stages (GDC 6-7) and their own needs. This way, END USERS will participate in the design process, helping to assure that the results achieved met all the identified needs.

I.O.2 Training Package on Non-Verbal Communication and Sensorial Stimulation for Persons with Advanced Dementia in Domiciliary Environments (HUMANITUDE)
A Training Package will be developed including information and applied knowledge about how to implement existing innovative solutions in the field of Non-Verbal Communication and Sensorial Stimulation for PwAD (GDS 6-7) in domiciliary environments.

I.O.3 Training Package on Adaptation of Care Tasks to Advanced Dementia in Domiciliary Environments (ALZ.DERNIGI)
A Training Package will be developed including information and applied knowledge about how to adapt the main Care Tasks to Advanced Dementia (GDS 6-7) in domiciliary environments

I.O.4 Training Package on Assistive Technologies for improving the Quality of Life of Persons with Advanced Dementia in domiciliary environments (IAT)
A Training Package will be developed including information and applied knowledge about existing Assistive Technologies which can improve the Quality of Life of Persons with Advanced Dementia (PwAD, GDS 6-7) and Informal Caregivers in domiciliary environments

Finally, the aforementioned “AD at HOME e-Training Platform” (I.O.5) will be developed

5 NATIONAL MULTIPLIER EVENTS will be organized, where all the project results will be introduced to the main national stakeholders.

VALIDATION PILOT ACTIONS will be implemented in all countries with 80 CARERS of PwAD (20 in Spain, Slovenia, Turkey and France) where all the Training Packages including Training Materials and Experiential Training Activities will be put into practice and tested

We can distinguish among different kind of impacts:
Short Term:
– increase the competences of 80 CARERS (20 in Spain, Slovenia, Turkey and France) through their direct participation in the Pilot Validation Actions
– 2.500 CARERS, Professionals working with Persons with Dementia and other Stakeholders (500 in Spain, Slovenia, Turkey, France and Germany) will be aware, through dissemination actions
Long Term:
– During 5 years after the project completion, thanks to the work to be done by the Support Units, the project will increase yearly the competences of 200 persons including CARERS (50 in Spain, Slovenia, Turkey and France) through their participation in Training Courses
– In the long term, 2.500 CARERS, Professionals working with Persons with Dementia and other Stakeholders (500 in Spain, Slovenia, Turkey, France and Germany) will be aware yearly during the 5 years after the completion of the project

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 224255 Eur

Project Coordinator

ASOCIACIÓN PROVINCIAL DE FAMILIARES DE PERSONAS CON LA ENFERMEDAD DE ALZHEIMER Y OTRAS DEMENCIAS DE CASTELLÓN & Country: ES

Project Partners

• SPOMINCICA – ALZHEIMER SLOVENIJA – SLOVENSKO ZDRUZENJE ZA POMOC PRI DEMENCI
• UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA
• WESTFALISCHE HOCHSCHULE GELSENKIRCHEN, BOCHOLT, RECKLINGHAUSEN
• Turkiye Alzheimer Dernegi
• ETERNIS