The D-CARE – Dementia: Respect and Respite kick-off meeting took place in Perugia, Italy on the 5th– 6th of November. This is a two years Erasmus+ funded project with partner organisations from Italy: Auser Insieme Regionale Umbria ( Project coordinator) and Associazione Omnis; UK: Age UK Bath; Greece: p-consulting.gr and KOISPE FAROS; Spain: Errotu Taldea S.L.P. and CEBANC; Denmark SOSU Østjylland and from Belgium EfVET.
The need for training for caregivers of people affected by dementia will be at the heart of activities of the D-Care project. Through the creation of an educational program in the form of blended learning, where the caregivers of people with dementia (professionals and non-professionals), will be able to acquire basic skills. The programme will provide information on how to help people with dementia and how to identify when someone is feeling isolated and avoid it. Even more, the educational programme training could be potentially included on the VET curricula of health and social care programmes, but also for volunteers or people already working as a way to upskilling their knowledge in this domain.
The objectives of this project are to:
- Develop an approach of care to help people who experience psychosocial difficulties as a result of dementia, to improve their wellbeing, and gain confidence with engaging socially
- Train health care professionals and caregivers.
- Improve knowledge on this disease and its consequences and to reflect together on the best means of preserving the quality of life, autonomy and the rights of people living with dementia.
- Contribute to the wellbeing of persons with dementia, by improving the knowledge and skills and developing preventive and care recommendations to their caregivers (professionals or non-professionals)
The target groups for this project are professional careers, non-professional careers – family members/friends/volunteers, students in health and social care, training providers – teachers, trainers and other workers who will be trained in how to work with dementia sufferers and their caregivers, dementia sufferers.
It’s important to recall that more than 2.000 people will benefit indirectly from or will be the target of the activities organized by the project.
The D-Care project is expected to bring positive and long-lasting effects on the participants, as it is intended to produce the following outcomes:
- Improve knowledge on dementia and its consequences and preserving the quality of life, autonomy and the rights of people living with dementia and their caregivers.
- More active participation in society and a more positive attitude towards EU values
At a systemic level, D-Care project it is expected to respond in a positive way to the policies of Europe concerning:
- Active citizenship
- Promotion of social inclusion and non-discrimination
- Lifelong learning
The second project meeting will take place in April 2020 in Aarhus, Denmark.
Visit D-Care website: http://dcare.training/
