EHCO & QOL

"EMERGENT HEALTH-CARE OCCUPATIONS & QUALITY OF LIFE: A STUDY OF THE USA, SPAIN & ITALY"

Coordinatore	UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRA    more  Organization address address: CAMPUS UNIVERSITARIO EDIFICIO CENTRAL city: PAMPLONA postcode: 31080 contact info Titolo: Ms. Nome: Anisimova Cognome: Sofia Email: send email Telefono: +34 932534200 Fax: 34932534343
Nazionalità Coordinatore	Spain [ES]
Totale costo	100˙000 €
EC contributo	100˙000 €
Programma	FP7-PEOPLE Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)
Code Call	FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG
Funding Scheme	MC-IRG
Anno di inizio	2009
Periodo (anno-mese-giorno)	2009-10-01   -   2013-09-30

 Partecipanti

#	participant	country	role	EC contrib. [€]
1	UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRA  Organization address address: CAMPUS UNIVERSITARIO EDIFICIO CENTRAL city: PAMPLONA postcode: 31080 contact info Titolo: Ms. Nome: Anisimova Cognome: Sofia Email: send email Telefono: +34 932534200 Fax: 34932534343	ES (PAMPLONA)	coordinator	100˙000.00

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'This project aims to understand the dynamic structuring of emergent occupational and organizational forms in health care services. Employment growth in health related fields leads labor markets today. This growth results from a well known economic and demographic phenomenon affecting mostly Europe and North America, namely, the increasing demand for healthcare and social assistance because of an aging population and longer life expectancy. These social changes imply more than just a growing need for management of the expanding provision of health care and social services. They also mean profound transformations in the institutional and social settings where care is given, as the health care system moves away from large hospitals and centers around focused-care organizations and individuals’ homes. However, limited research exists concerning the effect of these changes on the emergence of new occupations and the need for multidisciplinary work approaches in caring for the aged. In addition, there is little in understanding the educational programs necessary to develop competencies in these jobs. Because these trends encompass large geographical regions (Europe and USA) and involve different disciplines such as health management, labor relations and sociology of work, the Researcher has built an international and interdisciplinary team of scholars from the USA, Italy and now Spain. Overall, the project aims to achieve: (a) an understanding of health caregivers’ jobs and the design of a corresponding educational program, that would permit employees to effectively deliver quality care; (b) an adequate definition of healthy elderly quality of life (QOL), departing from the multiple conceptualizations currently used in research; and (c) a theoretical framework that would help categorize the growing number and type of organizations and occupations in the health care sector.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An in-depth look at long-term care has helped develop better systems to support caregivers in their jobs and provide enhanced services for a rapidly ageing population.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

As the baby boomers age and the European population becomes a more dependent one, policymakers are looking for ways to support long-term care. The EU-funded project 'Emergent health-care occupations & quality of life: A study of the USA, Spain & Italy' (EHCO & QOL) investigated this phenomenon in three countries. It looked at how care-related jobs, technologies and organisations are evolving to identify synergies and challenges related to the topic.

To achieve its aims, the project team studied the diversity in care services between the EU and the United States, looking at cultural dimensions that impact organisational structure. It outlined the different definitions of quality of life (QOL) and conducted in-depth interviews to understand communication and coordination among care professionals, family members, interest groups and other stakeholders.

More specifically, the project developed a comprehensive, novel approach to understanding QOL and outlined caregivers' roles in a way that reinforces their ability to provide quality care. It also assessed how job stability in the health and long-term care field evolved in Europe, looking as well at technology and collaboration in the field.

This led to better research on care occupations and the dynamics of direct care organisations that provide services to the elderly. It helped support the development of policies on human capital in a field where job demand is expected to increase rapidly, advancing the career prospects of employees in the sector.

A strong cross-comparison of long-term care between both sides of the Atlantic can potentially lead to improvements in providing quality care to the elderly, pinpointing best practices in different systems. This will help our population age more gracefully and with more dignity, improving QOL, reducing suffering and promoting cost effectiveness in the field.