Loneliness among older people is a growing issue globally, even if the numbers are difficult to estimate as loneliness most commonly is measured as social loneliness only. Social loneliness embraces social aspects needs for human relationships and is often measured in the form of the number of contacts someone has, how extensive the social network is, cohabitation or not, etc. Loneliness is, however, a complex concept that also involves physical as existential dimensions. The physical dimension involves the need closeness and touch, while loneliness in its existential form runs much deeper than social and physical loneliness and is described as an unavoidable condition of humanity. This means that even if other people surround you, you can experience profound loneliness in its existential form. Existential loneliness is usually described in association with death, dying, and cancer when questions about the meaning of life come to the fore. Studies involving health care staff (physicians, registered nurses, assistant nurses, social workers, physio- and occupational therapists) shows that the staff’s encounter with older people’s EE was experienced as both meaningful and challenging. ALONE project has two main objective: 1)To educate nurses about the different dimensions of loneliness to be able to detect and recognize loneliness in all its forms among older people; 2)To encourage nurses and strengthen their ability to encounter loneliness in general and existential loneliness in particular. The target group of ALONE project are: nurses and other health professionals working in home care, nursing home care, palliative care, primary care, hospital care, or pre-hospital care.The aim of the project is to develop a best practice collection in coping with older persons loneliness and a training package for nurses and other health care professionals who currently have limited or no training in how to cope with older persons affected by existential loneliness provide qualified and integrative care to this vulnerable target group. By using a transnational project approach, a collection of good practice, a functional training material and pedagogical guidelines that take into account the European social and cultural diversity in various elderly healthcare facilities will be generated and consequently the developed training material will be more easily adopted and used across Europe. By increasing knowledge and awareness about these aspects among partners and their networks, the project will also promote a broader health and social dialogue about the need to have adequate training on dealing with loneliness among older people in order to provide better patient care, increase life expectancy.

Burnout is a syndrome affecting more and more European care and health professions due to exposure to a wide range of potentially stressful situations and social and economic conditions. Nurses, nurse students and care workers are permanently in contact to vulnerable people, illness and death, they are subject to multiple job stressors including high workloads, irregular and unsocial hours of work, high physical and emotional demands. Cuts of hiring, labour migration and need to integrate in new professional and social contexts are also challenging conditions. JOBIS project succeeded to raise awareness among health and care professionals, as well as among stakeholders concerning the need for increased knowledge, attitude change and acquisition of practices for preventing and coping with burnout syndrome in the 5 partner countries – Romania, Lithuania, Poland, Cyprus, Italy. The solution offered by JOBIS was an international burnout prevention and coping blended-learning methodology addressed to nurses, care workers and social workers, for which a VET curricula, training contents and ICT materials were developed, a training platform for the on line training and coaching activities were created and tested, a network of specialized trainers were trained and coached, a pilot training sessions was organized in order to fine-tune tools and materials. As a consequence of the project activities, 15 trainers were trained in burnout prevention and coping blended-learning methodology, 647 nurses and nurse students and 40 care workers participated in burnout prevention and coping VET trainings during the project duration, a sustainable and transferable burnout prevention and coping training platform in 5 languages was created, 5 dissemination seminars were organized. The project had an important impact on the competences on burnout prevention and coping of the target groups in the 5 countries and at European level, on the awareness level of stakeholders concerning the need of health and social professionals to protect against burnout using high quality accessible and attractive training solutions and, not lately, on the capacity building of the partner organizations as a result of participating in the project.

According to the EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity 2014-2020, the proportion of the population in EU countries who are overweight or obese remains worryingly high for adults and for children and young people, despite action at the European level to reverse the rising trend (EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity 2014-2020,p.2). The implications of overweight and obesity in the Europe are stark: the prevalence of obesity has more than tripled in many European countries since the 1980s and with this rise comes a concomitant increase in rates of associated non-communicable disease. The WHO’s Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), around 1 in 3 children in the EU aged 6-9 years old were overweight or obese in 2010. This is a worrying increase on 2008, when estimates were 1 in 4. The target groups of the CORRECT IT! project were nurses, social workers and teachers who are appropriate professionals to successfully tackle the issue of obesity prevention and promoting a healthy lifestyle, taking into account their role in advising and promoting healthy lifestyle habits. Project partners were universities, professional organizations, research centers and NGOs from Romania, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, and Norway. CORRECT IT! has contributed to the decrease of this important global issue with the following outputs: a healthy lifestyle concept analysis and collection of good practices, a VET obesity prevention and healthy lifestyle curricula, a tested platform and VET blended learning obesity prevention and healthy lifestyle training materials. The project also created a pool of 26 trainers from the 5 countries and piloted the training at international and local level with 686 trainees among the 3 target groups and other health and psycho-social professionals who acquired knowledge, skills and tools to provide clear messages on healthy diets and nutrition, physical activity, prevention of obesity and metabolic diseases and nondiscriminatory behavior towards the obese or overweight persons. The 6 dissemination activities with 312 participants, the numerous awareness raising events, and materials elaborated during the project implementation have contributed to the obesity prevention and promotion of a healthy lifestyle among target groups, patients, beneficiaries, children, teen agers, adults, public authorities, other stakeholders. The impact of the CORRECT IT! project during the sustainability period of the project through the efforts of direct and associated partners in the project.

"Industry 4.0 (IND4.0), often dubbed as “4th Industrial Revolution"", is expected to impact all disciplines, industries, and economies in EU and around the world. Through its Digital Single Market Strategy, the European Commission encourages all sectors to exploit new technologies and managea transition to smart, IND4.0 industrial systems. Under the impact of IND4.0, the healthcare system is undergoing a rapid transformation that will accelerate in the following years and must be accompanied by an appropriate personnel preparation. Technology is very important but, even morecritical, is the ability of the personnel to catch up with its rapid advances and to stay updated.The needs identified the from the context analysis that are:1.Suitable trained personnel is required in the healthcare sector in order to keep up with technology advancements and sector transformation towards Industry 4.0.2.Both initial and continuous professional development of personnel is needed, given the dynamic evolution of the healthcare sector under the Industry 4.0 revolution.3.There is an urgent need for VET teachers, trainers and mentors able to train healthcare personnel in the field of IND4.0 applications in their activities, in both school and work-based settings.4.There is an urgent need for strengthening the VET curricula with key competences related to IND4.0 applications in healthcare.5. Relevant new learning tools dedicated to healthcare personnel training in the view of IND4.0 transformation of the healthcare sector are needed.Organisations from Poland, Lithuania,Spain, Romania and Malta will achieve project objectives through realization of the following operational goals:•prepare a multilingual brochure which will provide essential insights on the current status of IND4.0 application in the healthcare sector as well as relevant VET guidelines;•create a curricula on IND4.0 for health professionals;•create an open and innovative blended-learning course, including an on-line Learning ManagementSystem and learning materials and methodology face to face training;•develop evaluation and certification tools for both on-line and face to face training;•create a special guide for trainers;•testing and piloting of the course and preparation of an evaluation report regarding the impact of IND4.0 on healthcare course in clinical settings.HI4 is a project directed at VET trainers belonging to health professions. The project, however, concentrates not only on trainers, as the indirect beneficiaries of our activities will be the healthcare personnel because the training will help them to better cope with the Industry 4.0-driventransformation of their jobs. Another beneficiary of this project will be various stakeholders from the health sector also entrepreneurs, policy makers, NGO’s, etc, who will be offered reports and analyses useful for improvement of healthcare services through use of Industry 4.0 technologies and may find useful some of our outputs in order to build strategies for development of the sector. In addition:• at least 20 participants from the partner organizations will be directly involved in the project;activities ;• minimum 300 persons will participate in the 5 Multiplier Events organized by the partners;• minimum 90 participants will be involved in the local piloting of the online and face to face courses;• 20 trainers from the 5 countries will be involved in the Short-term joint staff training event “Training for trainers in VET Industry 4.0 in Healthcare”.The main specific results are:1.“Industry 4.0 applications in healthcare – review and VET guidelines”. 2. Curricula of “Industry 4.0 in Healthcare” training course. 3. HI4.0 Learning Management System based on the previously developed curricula and hosts the online modules of “Industry 4.0 in Healthcare” training course as well as evaluation and certification tools. 4. Learning materials and methodology for the face to face “Industry 4.0 in Healthcare” training course. 5. Guidelines for “Industry 4.0 in Healthcare” trainers. 6. Best practice: Implementation of Industry 4.0 on healthcare in clinical settings and primary care by partner organisations.Intangible results and longer term benefits will be:- increased awareness among healthcare professionals concerning new technological trends in their sector and increased use of these technologies;- increased knowledge of health professionals, managers, authorities and policy makers concerning the advantages offered by the implementation of Industry 4.0 in Healthcare;- knowledge gained by partners’ staff in new areas, good practice exchange among them;- extended educational offer of universities and training providers;- better understanding of the jobs transformation in the transformation in the healthcare sector and of the impact of IND4.0;- new national and European multi-sectoral cooperation among project partners and stakeholders."

<< Background >>The European Commission’s communication on enabling the digital transformation of health and care in the Digital Single Market (COM(2018) 233), followed by the related European Parliament resolution (12.12.2019), clearly shows the huge role that digitalisation plays in the development of better healthcare in Europe and underlines the need for health workforce with appropriate skills to support the healthcare sector’s digital transformation.Industry 4.0 is shaping the future in many areas, through the integration of technologies like Internet of Things, Big Data, 3D printing, Simulation, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Health 4.0, the translation of Industry 4.0 principles into the healthcare, enables the digital transformation of the healthcare sector.Already prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of mental health of the EU population was a cause for concern. The Health at a Glance Europe 2020 report shows that the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis made the situation even worst, with evidence of higher rates of stress, anxiety and depression. One solution to cope with this serious situation is to make use of the technological advancements of Health4.0. According to the analyses carried out by the partners, there is a growing demand for technology-based services related to mental health in all partner countries but also in the other EU countries. This is even more imperative in pandemic times. However, in order to implement these technology-based solutions, there an urgent need for suitable trained specialists and, consequently, for suitable trained VET teachers/trainers/mentors and appropriate training tools.The skills related to Health 4.0 concepts and technologies applied in the mental health sector are not currently covered by the European VET curricula so there is an urgent need to further strengthen it in order to enable VET teachers/trainers/mentors to prepare mental health specialists having the capabilities required in a mental health sector disrupted by Health 4.0.VET teachers/trainers/mentors have an essential role to play in the development of these skills as they are preparing the future specialists that have to master the new technologies on a daily basis. But, to be able to actively play this role, they need first to catch up with the latest Health 4.0 concepts and technologies. For this, VET teachers/trainers/mentors need suitable opportunities and resources for initial and continuous professional development. In addition, given their daily heavy workload, healthcare personnel need the opportunity to learn both in work-based settings as well as at their own pace and time from home.The methods of providing mental healthcare services and the mental health specialists ways of working and interacting with patients is disrupted by the digital transformation of EU healthcare sector. Consequently, the European mental health specialists will need to acquire new skills, competences and knowledge related to Health 4.0 in order to cope with the new ways of working and to support the digital transformation of EU healthcare sector.The primary target groups of the EUcare4.0 project are VET trainers that deliver various trainings to mental health specialists. They will benefit directly from project results and activities and will be able to gain or improve their knowledge and skills related to Health4.0. The secondary target group are the above-mentioned mental health specialists such as psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers, and counsellors.The project meets the needs of target groups by providing them the necessary training materials and tools. It also meets the needs of the partner organisations, which are interested in providing up-to-date services, training and consultancy related to mental health sector.<< Objectives >>Digital transformation of healthcare through Health 4.0 implementation brings enormous benefits in terms of quality, efficiency, costs, personalised services and other. Therefore, the main objective of EUcare4.0 project is to support the digital transformation of EU healthcare by contributing to the development of the digital skills, competences and knowledge needed for efficiently applying and using the Health 4.0 principles and underlying technologies in the mental health sector. The project will also help develop useful competencies in cases of catastrophes and pandemics. Indeed, in the current sanitary situation due to the coronavirus crisis, we can even more see the need in competencies and rapid adaptation of health services in various kinds of situations.In order to reach out the project objective and to cater for the needs identified from the context analysis, EUcare4.0 partnership will produce an innovative VET curricula and the related course content, training guidelines, evaluation tools and certification as well as an e-Learning space that provides free and open access to training materials and relevant case-studies about Health 4.0 technologies.<< Implementation >>EUcare4.0 project applies the ‘’Project cycle management” (PCM) approach. The project is considered as a series of activities designed in order to achieve the set objectives within the timeframe and quality standards defined by partners and within the set budget. It will go through a series of phases, well defined and described.The first phase of EUcare4.0 project was the preparation and writing of this proposal. The implementation methodology phases are given below.1. Planning (already done)- identification of EU healthcare sector needs and competences analysis- review of the current status of digital technologies applications in healthcare- identification of target group representatives and relevant stakeholders to be involved in project activities, in each partner country- identification of associated partners interested in project results and activities and disposed to support it- distribution of roles and responsibilities among the partners- sketching the project plans and working documents2. Solution development- designing of the structure and content the publication “Introducing Health 4.0 to mental health specialists”- designing of EUcare4.0 curricula and training modules- designing of EUcare4.0 e-learning space, including case studies about Health 4.0, trainer guidelines, evaluation tools and certification3. Solution implementation and testing- development of innovative EUcare4.0 modular training components- development of EUcare4.0 e-learning space- testing of EUcare4.0 e-learning space4. Solution Exploitation and Dissemination- preparation of the Dissemination and Exploitation plan- setting up of EUcare4.0 project website- setting up of EUcare4.0 social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)- design of EUcare4.0 visual identity (logo, templates, leaflet)- design and production of project digital newsletters, one for each 6 months period- approaching European online communities, like EPALE and mental health specialist groups, to involve them in project dissemination- organisation of 4 Multiplier Events in the partner countriesActivities involved in Project Management and Implementation:- preparation of Project Management and Quality Assurance plans- preparation of templates for the satisfaction questionnaires- preparation of project transnational meetings’ agendas and minutes- progress monitoring against EUcare4.0 Gantt chart- satisfaction questionnaires administered at the end of project transnational meetings- Progress Reports, produced every 6 months by each partner and analysed by the coordinator and Steering Committee- Interim and Final Reports<< Results >>The main project outcomes are its three Project Results:R1. Introducing Health 4.0 to mental health specialists: a publication designed to provide VET teachers/trainers/mentors and mental health specialists with relevant knowledge about Health 4.0 and its underlying technologies applicable in the mental health sector. R2. EUcare4.0 modular training components: an innovative curricula and relevant course content focusing on Health 4.0 and its underlying technologies applicable in the mental health sector. R3. EUcare4.0 e-learning space: an innovative learning place allowing for flexible access to the developed training resources. It includes:- Introducing Health 4.0 to mental health specialists- A set of case studies about Health 4.0- EUcare4.0 modular training modules- EUcare4.0 trainer guidelines- Evaluation and certification toolsAll IOs will be available as Open Educational Resources (OER) in 5 languages (EN, FR, ES, RO, EE).In addition to the Project Results, we expected the following results of EUcare4.0:1) Quantitative results- Visual identity items - logo, website, templates (document and presentation)- Social media profiles - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube- Project newsletters - 4 digital newsletters available in English, French, Spanish, Romanian and Estonian- Project leaflet - including important information about the project and website /social media links, available in English, French, Spanish, Romanian and Estonian - Project planning documents – plans for Project Management, Quality Assurance and Evaluation Plan, Dissemination and Exploitation, Risk Management, Sustainability.2) Qualitative results- increased awareness among VET and healthcare teachers/trainers/mentors about the Health 4.0 and its underlying technologies- increased knowledge of officials responsible for education, policy makers and other relevant stakeholders concerning the important role of Health 4.0/digitalisation in healthcare - knowledge and skills acquired by the staff involved in the project, thanks to information exchange and knowledge transfer among partners and project team members- extended educational offer of VET and healthcare training providers directly participating in the project or informed/supported by the project partners- new cooperation among project partners and stakeholders, at local, regional and European level