WeDO: European Partnership for the Wellbeing and Dignity of Older people

Why was this example implemented?

Over the past few years, the issue of abuse and neglect against vulnerable older people has gained importance at European and national levels. Just like child abuse, elder abuse can no longer be tolerated and measures must be put in place to ensure that older people who need care and assistance are adequately protected and can enjoy a dignified old age.

Meanwhile the Social Protection Committee has developed a European Quality Framework for Social Services of General Interest.  With this project, we wish to expand their work and adapt the EU Quality framework to the LTC sector to help public authorities, long-term care service providers and funders respond adequately to the growing needs of our ageing population in today’s context of economic crisis, budget consolidation and rapid societal change. The example addresses the lack of coordination and exchange of experiences within and between countries. Important reforms are under way in the long-term care field: there is an increasing outsourcing of services, greater cross-border mobility of care professionals and of service users, an increasing participation of end-users and their families in the financing of their LTC costs as well as greater public expectations. These developments are driving the need for action to protect the growing number of frail older people from the risk of elder abuse and to promote the quality of LTC services to ensure a dignified old age to all.

Description

The project is co-financed by DG Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission under the call for proposals for a pilot project on ‘Preventing elder abuse’. It is the follow-up of the EUSTACEA project who developed a European Charter of the rights and responsibilities of older people in need of long-term care and assistance and its accompanying guide (more information: www.age-platform.eu/en/daphne). It is coordinated by AGE Platform Europe and gathers 18 partners coming from 12 different Member States. 

Gathering a great variety of organisations such as public authorities, universities, older people’s organisations, carers’ organisations, etc the project seeks to develop a European Partnership Guide including a set of fundamental principles (the Quality framework) that all partners will develop together and will agree to adhere to, using the European Charter of Rights and Responsibilities of older people in need of long-term care and assistance developed by the EUSTACEA project as a basis. The Partnership Guide will also include recommendations for participatory quality development, control, tools and a methodology on how to develop a participatory approach by involving the end-users in the quality improvement process. It will be translated in 9 languages and will be summarised in a general leaflet. An online toolkit will also provide tips on how to implement the guide. 

Twelve coalitions, one per country involved in the project, work at national level all along the project to provide feedback to the partners and to prepare national strategies for the wellbeing and dignity of older people.They are supported by  an EU coalition and a steering group ensures the overall coordination of the project.

The project will end in November 2012 and a final publication (the European Partnership Guide) will be printed in 9 languages and disseminated. A small leaflet will be also created to promote the partnership and invite new stakeholders to take part.

What are/were the effects?

The first phase of the project helped to build a better cooperation among stakeholders who are  commited to improve quality of life of older people in need of care and assistance in the different countries and at EU level. This cooperation is translated into the creation of national networks (the coalitions) of organisations which are not necessarily used to working together (public authorities and NGOs, women’s associations and older people’s organisations, police and universities, etc) and of an EU coalition. Public authorities are more and more interested in being involved in the partnership. In some countries, websites are already created to ensure the exchange of information, e.g. in Italy and in Germany. The first EU event, which gathered representatives from the national coalitions, was a success and gathered a very large consensus on the vision to be shared in the partnership.

What are the strengths and limitations?

Strengths:

• The flexible and participatory approach enables a great diversity and a good atmosphere in the coalitions.
• The comprehensive approach of quality which sees the person as a whole, not only as a patient or a service user.
• Promotion of a continuous improvement which makes the organisations active in finding solutions in a collaborative way benefiting from the experience of others.
• The project will contribute to the objectives of the European Year 2012 on Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.

Limitations:

• The language barrier makes it difficult during the project to involve all national stakeholders in all debates.
• The project calls for a long-term vision which is difficult given the budget constraints and major reforms going on for the moment.

Credits

Links to other INTERLINKS practice examples

• Charter of Rights for People in Need of Long Term Care and Assistance
• www.Heimverzeichnis.de: Certified quality of life in nursing homes

External Links and References