We are an ageing society due to the demographic change the Long Term Care (LTC) services in the EU are estimated to increase by 30% between 2013 and 2060. Assisted Living Technology (ALT) progress rapidly to meet this demand. So that it is expected in the following years to become an important part of the long term care services and the care of older people. Under this perspective the digital literacy of formal, informal caregivers and other health care workers in LTC is more than essential in the newly shaping, technologically driven, care giving environment. The scope of the TechCare project was to further progress the digital literacy-related knowledge of the target group. The digital literacy should go beyond the simple knowledge of the function of ALT's, to the critical adaptation and evaluation of ALT's into the LTC environment according to the specific needs of each beneficiary. In other words: The main objective of TechCare was to promote an ethically sound and practically viable adaptation of assisted living technologies in long term care. The project’s contribution to this objective was to train carers as evaluators upon the ethical and practical challenges that determine the acceptability of ALTs into home and community care. As a first step, the stakeholder’s needs and barriers to ALT in general and our specific ideas were assessed in a needs analysis including semi-structured interviews, with formal and informal carers and a literature review. Based on this and considering the expert knowledge in the partnership, the educational material (training modules) for the TechCare Moodle course was developed. The development of the contents was closely related to the development of the Moodle platform where all materials are provided free. To implement the training content and Moodle platform and validate feasibility, acceptance and adherence a two-staged pilot study was implemented. As part of the pilot study, a Train-the trainer workshop for trainer experts was organised in Patras, Greece. The results were presented to the target group and other stakeholders in the international multiplier event at the end of the project to motivate stakeholders to use and adopt the innovative platform. We reached the following impact on formal/informal carers:•Free access to adult learning services in terms of a useful and high quality learning material for the implementation of assisted living technologies and their conscious use bearing ethical, legal and social aspects in mind.•Enhancement of the quality and range of the work and services provided in daily care by updating the skills and competences. •Raised awareness of the importance of the topicImpact on the elderly/care recipients:•Better quality of care. New technologies can provide better and multiple measurements that can assist nurses and doctors to extract safer conclusion and also prevent possible harmful implications for the older patients.•Better acceptance of new technologies on behalf of elderly beneficiaries. Despite the fact that several research papers emphasize the positive stance of elderly people towards new technologies, still, at least for the oldest of them, technological devices represent a complicated domain which is rather indifferent and for which they do not have the disposition and willingness to learn how it operates. Under this perspective the introduction of new technologies into the daily routine of the beneficiaries is one step closer to digital literacy and full acceptance of technology as an assistive tool in everyday reality•Better and more accurate measurements that will update the quality of the feedback doctors receive mainly from patient’s caregivers. This will lead to more customized and personalized clinical and caring interventions.Impact on organizations/other stakeholders:•Opportunity to offer new and innovative care service packages and to enrich training materials for carers.•Plans to include the program in VET training, thus enriching the possibilities to qualify carers or social workers.•Possibility to share experiences with TechCare or similar programs in the multiplier events thus enriching the discussion and definition of best practices.•Update of the academic knowledge by the needs analysis and literature review as well as the pilot studiesLong term impact:•Prioritization of home care. New technologies can clearly support elderly beneficiaries to remain at their home environment, promoting also their autonomy – although here further research and actions are needed•Better quality of care in terms of the people engaged. Given the current situation where almost all European countries rely heavily on grey market (undeclared and unqualified caregiving) to cover their caregiving needs, having ALT devices may contribute to reduce poor quality of care, and force caregivers to uptake any kind of training to manage to cope with the new requirements.

<< Background >>The demographic change in our society on the one hand and the rising digital transformation on the other hand are, among others, two of the biggest challenges our society is facing at the moment. People in our society are, luckily, living longer and therefore are getting older. But this development is also aligned with rising health issues, like chronic diseases, multimorbidity and a health system that is characterized by shortage of skilled workers and rising costs. The digital transformation has the power to confront a lot of these issues by for example simplifying procedures and distributing knowledge about health issues and the health system open for everyone. With this the digitalisation has a huge power to support citizens with health issues and empower them to have knowledge, be informed and act self-affective towards their own health condition. But this doesn’t happen by itself. As recent studies show a lot of people are – for various reasons – not able to be part of the digital transformation and with this use it for their own good. Especially people in third age are running hazard to be shaken off, though they are one of the groups in society that could benefit the most.With DIGIHALL project we are addressing the needs of people in third age to be empowered in their decisions and knowledge about their own health condition and the health system they are living in. Digital health technologies, such as internet of things (IoT), Ambient/Active Assisted Living (AAL), robots and other artificial intelligence (AI), have been shown to have great potential in fostering independent living, improving mental and physical health, and increasing quality of life. At the same time, they can also reduce caregiver burden, which can lead to more targeted and better quality care. Our aim is to develop new and innovative education material for caregivers and volunteers on how to bring close the chances and knowledge of digital health technologies to people in third age and support them on their way of digital literacy.<< Objectives >>We want to achieve better knowledge about the possibilities and chances of digital health technologies among people in third age and contribute to the digital literacy in society. For this we are developing new, innovative and easy accessible education material for caregivers and volunteers that act as agents for digital health technologies. With this special designed e-learning platform caregivers and volunteers, who already have knowledge about digital technologies, can learn more about especially digital health technologies that are available in their country, and also learn how to convey this knowledge to people in third age. It is shown that especially elderly people need accompaniment in learning how to deal with new technologies, because they are not grown up with them and they are not a natural part of their daily living.DIGIHALL aims to enhance the confidence of people in third age about their ability to take over the management of their health, through health or social care digital literacy. This way people in third age can raise their voice regarding their needs and in essence participate into the co-creation of tools and platforms, but also of health policies which should be designed from the start in consultation with patients and healthcare providers. Through this DIGIHALL is contributing to better understanding and use of new technologies among people in third age and is supporting the digital literacy that leads to empowered citizens, that have the knowledge and motivation to use technologies for their own good.<< Implementation >>Planned activities during the project are the development of education guidelines that are based on several qualitative analyses. They also provide essential information for the development of the e-training, mobile app and the corresponding materials. In order to secure the usability for older people two consecutive validation studies will be conducted in every country involving the target groups: formal/informal carers, volunteers and people in third age. Using an iterative approach the feedback will be integrated continuously into the adaptation of the e-training and mobile application. In addition to dissemination activities the consortium of the DIGIHALL project will produce a sustainability and exploitation plan. These include an analysis of the legal framework and current policies regarding e-health and digitalization in every partner country.<< Results >>The main result expected in the DIGIHALL project is an interactive e-training available via an online platform as well as mobile app. Through the training the following outcomes are expected•Development of skills for formal/informal caregivers and volunteers and people in third age regarding digital health literacy which will positively impact their confidence and self-determination. The ability to understand health information, navigate services, use medication, and self-manage one’s condition is of extreme importance.•Raising awareness on the need for functional adaptation to e-health applications.•Empowerment of older people to improve self-care and enable them to manage frailty and chronic diseases continuously.•Smoothen health inequalities, by providing equal access for all to the e-health domain, especially for marginalized or vulnerable groups.•Promoting inclusion and re-enabling the participation of older people in society

In the COMMUNICARE project, the main objective is to improve the communication skills of informal and non-formal caregivers in long-term care (LTC). Communication is a basic human need that enables personal and social interaction and is the main expression of human relationships. In the framework of LTC and elderly care, a successful communication has significant impact on three main aspects that characterize quality in LTC:a) The ageing well and best possible quality of life for both the care recipients and caregiversb) The effectiveness of the assumed treatment and care giving protocolc) The direct and efficient synergy (cooperation) between the caregiver and the care recipientFurthermore, negative notions like ageism, disdain, anger, neglect, or positive ones like compassion, affection, worry, can define the quality and the result of the communication and subsequently of the care giving procedure in LTC. Therefor a very important parameter for achieving the best possible quality in LTC depends on a well-based and smooth communication between the caregiver and the care recipient. Based on this COMMUNICARE aims to update the communication skills of informal and non-formal caregivers for achieving the best possible quality of life for their beneficiaries and themselves developing training content concerning:-Principles for effective communication in LTC for elderly-Basic principles and methods of communication in different chronic diseases and in reduced hearing-Communication in the new era of technological and medical advancements in LTCThe six participating organizations are:WW: Wohlfahrtswerk für Baden-Württemberg is one of the biggest care providers in the south of Germany offering all kinds of services for the elderly. Furthermore, WW has its own training centre and experience in adult learning and further training professional healthcare workers.FZ: Frontida is the most successful home care provider in Greece. FZ will bring its` know how on describing the needs and difficulties in communication of both direct and indirect target groups in home care environment.COOSS: Cooperativa Sociale main objective is to support the integration of disadvantaged people through the provision of social, assisting, social-care, educational and training services and to propose interventions to meet the different needs of the local community.BFI: Berufsförderinstut Oberösterreich is the largest educational institution for adult learners in Austria. They will use their expertise for the preparation and development of education and training materials for informal and non-formal caregivers in LTC, which is a rather diverse group of learners.DHBW: Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg brings more than 40 years of experience in providing high-quality education programmes that include practical training. With their academic background DHBW ensures that the materials are synchronous with current developments in social- and health care.UAEGEAN: Due to its capacity in developing multimedia content the University of the Aegean will provide the technological excellence in the field of ICT learning tools, and can make the project's training content not just easily accessible and comprehensive, but also fun and interactive. Planned methods and activities during the project are a baseline study including an education gap analysis, the development of training content, the development of the online training platform, pilot studies and the development of a sustainability plan.The envisioned impact and main result is raising awareness on the importance of communication as a useful tool on the hands of the caregivers, and achieving an effective and mutually beneficial relationship between the caregiver and the care recipient.Which lead to the following long-term benefits:1.Developing a meaningful and trustful relationship between the care giver and the care recipient.2.Improving quality of life for patients in LTC.3.Improving the quality of life for the caregivers4.Promotion of home based care and of person-centered approach in LTC.5.Upgrading the role of informal/non-formal caregivers in LTC.

The MigCare Strategic Partnership presents a unique new approach to vocational training. An international consortium consisting of 6 institutions from 4 European countries will constructively collaborate to establish the gamification learning method in the vocational education of caregivers. A freely-available multilingual application will contribute to the amelioration and enhancement of efficiency enhancement of training of the migrants. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 1.011.700 migrants arrived by land in Europe in 2015 and almost 34.900 by sea. According to these estimations any activity regarding the integration of these people in the European society will be beneficial as much for European countries as migrants. While there may be millions of sites, Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs), courses, syllabuses and freely available educational material on the web, there is a striking absence of an educational initiative combing entertainment characteristics with learning content. The Project’s partnership will work towards the integration and exploitation of gamification features within an educational setting. Although gamification is a well-known with acknowledged potentials, the penetration of the method is sporadic overall, let alone in vocational training. The Caregiving sector follows a developmental orbiter due to the quickly ageing population of developed countries. The aforementioned fact highlights the need for effective handling of educational needs of the active and inactive (unemployed) work force of the sector. It must be stressed that a significant part of that workforce are migrants who can use the penetration of technology in order to overcome barriers related to social exclusion. Additionally, the traditional educational model and the use of established e-learning methods using synchronous and asynchronous formats of communication do not seem to account for drop out phenomena or low motivation symptoms. Gamefication -the cutting-edge ICT method - can bridge this game democratizing and providing attractive knowledge. The participation in the project will provide an effective way to improve employment prospects and personal development opportunities combined with entertainment aspects.The deliverables of the project will be available on the web and the participation in any event or process will be free to anyone who is interested. Additionally, any information or educational material will be multilingual (English, Italian, Arabic, Greek) allowing learners across Europe, and especially migrants, to access it. The use of the application will be accompanied by instructional material in order to enhance participation and increase its usability.The MigCare Strategic Partnership aspires to highlight the role of caregivers in modern society integrating suchhigh end technology to the vocational ecosystem of caregiving. The MigCare project must be considered a benchmark in vocational training as it embodies a dynamic method in a dynamically rising professional sector, which makes partners secure the long-term sustainability of the project outputs beyond the project period. The project outcomes will include an innovative training course to meet country-specific needs and provide care workers with increased competences and skills; VET trainers with increased skills and knowledge; VET e-learning professionals with increased skills and competences for developing European online social networks for shared learning experiences. The Erasmus+ grant will be the essential mechanism for transmitting motion to an ambitious initiative with huge and immediate impact on caregivers all over Europe. The benefiting migrants or Europeans who will have the opportunity to live the experience of the application will deem the recent technological and educational advances conducive to their professional maturity.

"European strategy for the period 2014-2020 provides two basic directions for the development of Europe:-to identify methods to promote entrepreneurship through mobility programs for young professionals (Initiative ""Youth in motion"");-to develop and implement programmes aiming at promoting social innovation among the most vulnerable groups, particularly by making available to communities deprived of some forms of education and training and innovative opportunities for employment, to combat discrimination (for example, persons with disabilities) and develop a new agenda for the integration of emigrants, which would help them to maximum use their potential (the initiative ""a European platform against poverty""). The specific objectives of the project are: 1. developing knowledge, skills and competences in the field of social entrepreneurship, an open attitude towards the experential learning to 120 young people and youth workers. Starting from these two directions in the partner communities, it was indentified a percentage of 27% of young people who want to actively integrate in the community life, a large proportion of 68% young people who have a job, and most local governments that have a strategy for exploiting the potential of the young and innovative creador. For these reasons, the development of knowledge and skills in the field of social entrepreneurship in youth becomes an equal opportunity: the finding of solutions to the social problems of local comunities and selfyouth development for a better integration on the labour market through the development of social enterprises. The aim of the project is: give youth and youth workers the opportunity to develop and implement projects of social entrepreneurship through experiential learning.The project objectives achieved by carrying out the following activities:1.achievement of a logo and motto for the project 2. promoting social responsibility and initiative of the 120 young people through non-formal methods at the level of communities and decision makers;3. involvement of 14 local entities to work with those 120 young people, in the identification and resolution of social problems within the communities; 4. development and implementation of one social entrepreneurship projects among the various categories of young people and the local community, 5. increasing with 10% of youth involvement in the life of the community through examples of good practice in the european space. The target group of the project consistsed of 120 young people aged between 17-24, in 6 partner organizations from Romania, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Greece, 120 young people, 21 of them are young with limited opportunities in terms of economic opportunities. The project objectives was achieved by carrying out the following activities:-development of a logo of the project-execution and management of a project platform - collaborative meetings on-line and directly between youth from different corners of Europe-local workshops to identify social problems of the community, for the identification of entrepreneurial solutions to problems of high priority for the community, -to develop a business plan for the social enterprise, a social enterprise-to identify sources of funding-a good practice guide for a successful social entrepreneurial -carrying out an analysis/study of impact of the project implementation -2 editing spots to promote the socio-economic effects of the promotional campaigns of the platform project and hatchery of social enterprises, -to promote the International Conference of Social Entrepreneurship,- fundraising for the project of social entrepreneurship,- campaigns for the dissemination of good practice to community members through caravans, Cafe, asset guide platform on social entrepreneur organisation -carrying out International Conferences of Social Entrepreneurship-organization and maintenance of a consultancy service, of social entrepreneurship themes in the social incubator-accomplishment of 5 blended exchanges youth and one training course in Netherlands.For the above mentioned activities there had been integrated non-formal methods such as discussion, brainstorming, street theatre, workshops in different work environments (in schools, in social enterprises) in informal learning contexts as well as documentation on the Internet, specialized book study. It will emphasize the experiential learning and virtual simulation.The most important results of the project were:- open access to project website translated in English and some materials was transalted into Romanian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,Greek. The website contain all the materials carried out during project implementation and it will be maintained after its completion.-the Social Entrepreneur's Guide and 6 social entreprises business plans, 6 marketing plans , study of project impact, the suport of the training course in social entrepreneurship."