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The Future of Aged Care in Europe

The newly rebranded European Ageing Network (EAN) held a successful conference in Prague in mid-September. With over 400 leaders in aged care from 30 countries and 3 continents, the delegates were focused on the question of the whether there is a future of long-term care in Europe.

The short answer is yes, there is a future, but it won’t look like the present. EAN, which is affiliated with the Global Ageing Network, is completing a report on the 2030 vision for long-term care. It is characterized by shifts – some revolutionary and others more evolutionary.

The report, to be issued this winter, was previewed by Markus Leser of Curaviva. He suggests that the biggest challenges and shifts for our field are:

  • Overcoming impending staff shortages.
  • Attaining financial sustainability for services and supports.
  • Navigating or driving the shifts from care to prevention and inclusion; quality of care to quality of life; and professional delivery of services to co-creation with family.
  • Shifting from medical focus to a social and service approach.
  • System dominance to a client focus.
  • From staff to staff AND technology.

Each of these is significant and has enormous implications for those designing and delivering care and services. Together, they represent a tectonic shift. These are not unique to Europe – these are our global challenges.

We are grateful to EAN for a concise and compelling characterization of our future directions. With these challenges come opportunities. It is a prime time for leaders to step up, for governments to rethink how they distribute resources, for providers to have the courage to test new approaches, and to learn to partner well. It is also a prime time for our networks – whether global or regional – to become stronger and more impactful.

We have so much to learn from one another as we seize the opportunities at a local, country, regional, and global level.

Call for Content Deadline: Only 2 Weeks Away

The Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) and the Global Ageing Network are hosting the leading international event for professionals and consumers of long-term care and ageing services, This is Long Term Care, in Toronto, Canada, 17-19 September 2019. And we need your help to make the conference unforgettable!

The fall conference’s theme is Transforming Aging Together, which will profile emerging research, innovation, and successful quality initiatives in a unique forum dedicated to shared learning and professional networking.

We are seeking sessions that will deliver big ideas, new models, novel technologies, emerging trends, and revolutionary processes that demonstrate compelling leadership for aged care practice and operations. Conference delegates should expect to participate in interactive sessions, and gain both inspirational ideas and practical tools, as well as forge new partnerships, both locally and abroad.

The Ontario Long Term Care Association and the Global Ageing Network invite you to submit your abstract to the This is Long Term Care 2019 conference.

This year applicants can apply to present in one the following formats:

  • Workshop
  • Oral Presentation
  • Poster Session

Submission deadline is 14 September 2018.

Please contact Shannon Davis at sdavis@globalageing.org if you have questions or concerns.

Research Snapshot: A Picture of Foreign-Born Workers in LTSS

Increased life expectancies and the projected growth of the older population has created a significant demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS) around the globe. Yet, the supply of paid LTSS workers and informal caregivers who can help meet this demand is shrinking dramatically.

Research suggests that an expanded migrant/immigrant LTSS labor pool presents one strategy for meeting future workforce needs.

During 2017, the Global Ageing Network and the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston studied the complex issues associated with expanding the number of foreign-born workers in the LTSS labor pool. Researchers conducted an environmental scan and held interviews with LTSS providers in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

This research snapshot provides an overview of study findings of the prevalence, characteristics, countries of origin, and migration routes of foreign-born nurses and personal care assistants, and governmental policies that affect the ability of migrants/immigrants to work in host countries.

For more information about key study findings, read the full report.

Leading a Life of Continued Fulfillment Post-Retirement – 4 Simple Tips (Guest Post)

By Anne Haris (Guest Post) 

For many people, retirement is a chance to finally do the things they’ve always wanted to do that daily grind didn’t allow. And then, there’s that other group of people who don’t want to retire, because they don’t know how to handle all the time they will have on their hands.

That’s why it’s important to make a plan before you sign the retirement agreement. Naturally, this list of tips is a starting point for you, I encourage you to adjust these suggestions around your own preferences and desires. Here’s my advice:

1)     Establish an invigorating morning routine.

Your mornings have looked the same for the last 40 years – you’d get up, do some personal hygiene, have breakfast, get dressed, and go to work.

Now that you’re about to be retired, it’s important to reinvent that part of the day. The gist of these activities will still be done, but with a different end goal.

What you should aim for when you get up in the morning in retirement is to start your day in a refreshing way. One great activity is to go for a light morning stroll. While doing so, you can also work out a bit along the way. At some point of your morning walk, I recommend practicing some breathing techniques for better mental health. These activities can help you start your day with a fresh mind.

Those walking and breathing exercises can become a valuable part of your start-of-the-day routine, just like that cup of coffee you’re going to sip in the mellow morning sun after you’ve finished with your invigorating morning routine.

2)     Make your evenings purposeful.

Newly retired people often say that evenings are the most difficult part of the day. During that period people usually start feeling the fatigue and exhaustion from the daily errands and obligations. That’s why it’s vital to make your evenings purposeful.

In line with that, write down a few things you’re going to do every evening. For instance, if you like to read, you can schedule a daily reading session from 6-7 p.m. every day.

If you’re more into technical or practical stuff, you can work in your garden, water your flowers, or do some simple fixes around the house. For the more active retiree, look into or start a retiree sports league.

Moreover, if you like to do nothing, that is perfectly valid, but I recommend trying to find a nice spot outside to do nothing. Going outdoors in the evening can give you more energy and inspiration for new things. Also, it can improve your social life by giving you opportunities to meet new people.

3)     Think about your health in advance.

When we’re talking about health during old age, there are many controversies in the public domain. Medicare has improved some things when it comes to the expenses that seniors deal with for hospital treatments. However, many elements in that field still remain either unsolved or simply expensive for a large number of U.S. older adults.

Because of that, every pensioner-to-be has to check out the alternatives they can count on. If you’ve been saving to your private pension funds or you’ve collected assets for your life insurance, you can look into retirement homes.

Even if you haven’t saved that way, you can always go for some different solutions. For example, you can contact a live-in care agency or several care providers of that kind, to see what they’re offering. If you’re living alone as a retired person, create a plan for if you need immediate care and attention.

4)     Expand your circle of friends.

According to the survey conducted by AARP in 2014, a large number of older Americans suffer from loneliness. People get lonelier in their 40s, and that feeling of loneliness often gets stronger as they grow older. When they retire, it’s highly likely that they’ll have even fewer friends by their side than before.

I recommend signing up for new activities and classes. For example, you can start learning a new language. Apart from the social benefit of such an activity, learning a new language while retired is beneficial for your brain, as well. Also, as you’re making progress with the chosen language, you can visit a country where it’s spoken. This will help you establish new contacts and expand your circle of friends.

Further, visit several clubs for the retired in your vicinity in the months before retirement and check out what services they’re offering. They often provide tailor-made activities for pensioners that will increase the quality of your social life in retirement.

 Conclusion

When you prepare for retirement, your transition will be much smoother. Retiring will give you a new perspective on your life and open a whole new world of interesting things you can do. Still, make sure that you take care of your health and nurture your social life. Our tips can help you welcome your retirement without anxiety, as well as to start it in a positive and open-minded manner.

…

Author Bio: Anne Harris is an HR specialist working for londonlive-incare.com. She eagerly shares her knowledge with her audience on various blogs. When she isn’t writing or attending wellness conferences, she likes to pack her rucksack and ride her day away on her bike or spend time with her friends.

Ibasho at Global Ageing Network’s Aug. “Wisdom Talk”

The Global Ageing Network welcomed Drs. Emi Kiyota and Taryn Patterson to present on Ibasho at the August “Wisdom Talk” series. Through a photographic presentation, they demonstrated how the Ibasho concept was incorporated in communities in Japan, Philippines, and Nepal.

Ibasho means “a place where you can feel like yourself.” At the heart of the Ibasho concept are the elders. Ibasho incorporates a socio-medical approach. It is an inclusive, empowerment model that views elders as resources rather than spectators. It promotes community, whether in a rural or urban setting, incorporating cultural norms to create a sustainable and integrated center that values elders.

Dr. Kiyota founded Ibasho in 2011 as a 501(c)(3). It was born out of her graduate research while living with elders in long-term care communities. Within the confines of a shady alcove in Nepal, she saw that elders were viewed as a vulnerable population who needed to be cared for by younger generations.

With the rise of an aging population, especially in Asia and Europe, older adults are often perceived to be a burden on society and there are often limited resources that are available to support them. Dr. Kiyota was convinced that a holistic model–incorporating local partners–could be both culturally appropriate and value elders.

The model incorporates 8 principles which are the basis for Ibasho. It starts with a needs assessment, then works to develop a capacity building plan that is designed with community partners and operated by elders. To date, it has focused on lower cost services in less resourced communities.

The model varies according to the needs of its community. For instance, Honeywell Ibasho House partnered with the community of Ofunato, Japan, in February 2012 to create a place where the entire community gathered together and worked to recover from the 2011 earthquake. Older people actively joined in the planning, management, and operation of the Ibasho House. They are recognized as community assets and a source of traditions and wisdom to guide younger generations.

In the Philippines, elders in Barangay Bagong Buhay have developed livelihood projects, including recycling, a vegetable garden, and a mobile Ibasho café, all of which have benefited not only the older people, but also the younger members of the community.

In Nepal, an Ibasho project was launched in which the community decided to include vegetable farming, a potted flower nursery, and bio-dynamic posting.

The primary focus of the Ibasho model is local capacity building in order to foster sustainability and replicability with the intention of generating income from activities they engage in as a community. Dr. Kiyota hopes that the Ibasho concept will be replicated around the world.

“We all know that aging is happening and we need to be the champions for our elders! Older adults should be considered resources; they hold a wealth of knowledge and skill sets which can’t be replicated by technology; and the wisdom to guide us. Elders are the valuable asset of our communities.”

To watch the “Wisdom Talks” presentation, please visit the Global Ageing Network Facebook page.

 

Global Ageing Network Presents at the United Nations

Global Ageing Network played a prominent role in the meetings of the Open Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWG) at the United Nations in late July. In a statement to the member states, board member Marcus Riley said, “It is our responsibility as a global society to be more aware of the risks and challenges for older members of our community such as the uncertainty of access to quality long term care and palliative care as well as threats to people’s independence and autonomy… Our systems governing long term care must provide choice and opportunities…”

Marcus Riley and Katie Smith Sloan presented at a standing-room-only event for NGO’s on palliative and long term care. Smith Sloan noted that “it is incumbent upon us to acknowledge the role families and others play – and to support them – with training, if possible and respite because the work is demanding – and financially, if public support is available. Without families and neighbors, circumstances for older adults would be markedly different everywhere. We also need to address the stark discrepancy in palliative care options globally. A recent study by the World Health Organization on the status of palliative care in 234 countries highlighted that it was well-integrated into health care systems in only 20 of them; 42% have no delivery system for palliative care services at all, and in 32% service delivery reaches only a small percentage of the population. Some 80% of the world’s population lack adequate access to medication needed for palliative care. The great variability from country to country is largely due to lack of medical knowledge on the part of health care professionals and access to drugs. That said, there is a great opportunity for increased education and training so that no one has to live with pain if that is their choice. Palliative care has been proven to work. More should have the opportunity to live out their later years pain free.”

Marcus Riley described the academic research in Australia on happiness, which has demonstrated that it is possible for people to maintain independence and autonomy even in a high-care environment. His organization, Ballycara, has developed SONA, a program that involves deep engagement with residents to understand their passions and interests, individualized programming and motivation to ensure an individual’s purpose is realized. At a local or country level, it has proven possible to achieve what it is hoped that our governing systems will foster – a focus on choice and enablement for all older adults.

Global Ageing Network continues to join other NGO’s and several member states in pressing for a Human Rights Convention on Human Rights and the Elderly – a legally binding instrument that would, among other things, ensure access to quality care, services, and supports for all older adults.

 

A U.S. Peace Corps Response Program Intimate Look

At the Global Ageing Network’s last “Wisdom Talk,” Pamela Larson, a U.S. Peace Corps Response Program participant, and Dustin Manhart, a recruiter for the U.S. Peace Corps Response Program, discussed the program, which sends experienced professionals to undertake short-term, high impact assignments in communities around the world. Pamela Larson, a self-proclaimed “proud third-ager,” shares an intimate look at her experience this past year as a volunteer with the program.  

As a proud “third-ager,” I was excited to join the U.S. Peace Corps Response Program volunteers and spent a year in Chitre, considered as both a city and a county, the capital of the Panamanian province of Herrera. Located on the Azuero Peninsula bordered by the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans, Chitre has lots of tourist potential but fails in comparison to Panama City, known for the Panama Canal and is surrounded by development and a dense population.

What Panama City lacked in a community, Chitre more than made up for with a rich and plentiful community, filled with festivals and friendly faces. I met many farmers and enjoyed attending the festivals (picture below), most of which celebrate Catholic saints sustained by the older population, but have become less about religion and more about entertainment!

My assignment was to use my expertise to help APPEDIVI, a nonprofit for the visually handicapped become more sustainable. This was my first time working with a disabled population directly. My first work plan was ambitious and I laugh now, as I think about, in which I had lofty goals of developing funding for numerous projects, such as a seeing eye dog program, a musical group, and also improve the accessibility of the sidewalks of Chitre, all in the short period of a year!

I quickly learned that APPEDIVI needs more basic help. At the core, the program needed a strong leadership foundation to include a new Board of Directors and Treasury. I worked with the program volunteers to develop a leadership reporting structure, hosting over 9 meetings while I was there.

I am proud to have secured additional funding from a private grant from an international pharmaceutical firm’s foundation in England. I am also proud to exhibit my technological skills and developed an interim website, entitled www.appedivi.org, which was important for their funders to see a database of the members. After a year in Chitre, I am excited to say that APPEDIVI is a sustainable program.

And you may ask, how did I fair as an older female in the agrarian part of Panama? The people were wonderful and welcomed me into their homes and culture. I rented a room from a retired couple and joined the church choir. I enjoyed sharing each festival with my host family, their children, and their 11 grandchildren. The family unit is organic in Panama in which both the old and young live together in a home, where the younger generation may care for their parents.

I learned that my Spanish was not as good as I thought and quickly learned common idioms and phrases. During my time in Panama, I always felt safe and was lucky to have access to clean water, a health program, and even social security benefits for the older population.

Although the population leans towards a younger demographic, many people are finding that Panama is a great place to retire since it may not be as expensive as other developed countries. Surprisingly, I found that my biggest challenge was to learn how to slow down. Panamians enjoy the day and there was never a sense of urgency. I learned to enjoy my time with a good book or chatting with community members.

As I adjust to life back in the United States, I look forward to sharing my experiences with other volunteers and continuing to encourage everyone to appreciate the role of the elder, an inherent value in the Panamanian culture.

 

 

The 2019 Board Nominations Closes on 31 July!

We are pleased to call for nominations for election to the 2019 Global Ageing Network Board of Directors. Express your interest in contributing to making the world a better place to grow old through participation on the Global Ageing Network Board of Directors.
Candidates should be active in aged care and services and are interested in and willing to advance the Global Ageing Network’s strategic vision for an international network of providers and others seeking to advance high quality, person-centered care and services for people as they age.
Candidates may come from provider organizations, business, research institutions and other fields of interest and must be a member. The board term is for 3 years.Nominations are being accepted until 31 July 2018 and will be reviewed by a Board Committee and elected by the full Global Ageing Network Board of Directors. To submit a nomination using our online form, please follow the link below.  Alternatively, you can download the nomination form and email the completed form and supporting materials to sdavis@globalageing.org.Special Note: All nominations should include a copy of the nominee’s bio/CV and 1-2 letters of recommendations. Please be prepared to upload each document as a Word document or PDF to the online submissions form linked below.

Submit Your Nomination

Any questions? Please contact Shannon Davis. 

The 2019 Global Ageing Network Conference Call for Content is Open!

The Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) and the Global Ageing Network are hosting the leading international event for professionals and consumers of long-term care and ageing services, This is Long Term Care, in Toronto, Canada, 17-19 September 2019. And we need your help to make the conference unforgettable!

The fall conference’s theme is Transforming Aging Together, which will profile emerging research, innovation, and successful quality initiatives in a unique forum dedicated to shared learning and professional networking.

We are seeking sessions that will deliver big ideas, new models, novel technologies, emerging trends, and revolutionary processes that demonstrate compelling leadership for aged care practice and operations. Conference delegates should expect to participate in interactive sessions, and gain both inspirational ideas and practical tools, as well as forge new partnerships, both locally and abroad.

The Ontario Long Term Care Association and the Global Ageing Network invite you to submit your abstract to the This is Long Term Care 2019 conference.

This year applicants can apply to present in one the following formats:

  • Workshop
  • Oral Presentation
  • Poster Session

Submission deadline is 14 September 2018.

Please contact Shannon Davis at sdavis@globalageing.org if you have questions or concerns.

Call for 2019 Board Nominations!

We are pleased to call for nominations for election to the 2019 Global Ageing Network Board of Directors. Express your interest in contributing to making the world a better place to grow old through participation on the Global Ageing Network Board of Directors.

Candidates should be active in aged care and services and are interested in and willing to advance the Global Ageing Network’s strategic vision for an international network of providers and others seeking to advance high quality, person-centered care and services for people as they age. Candidates may come from provider organizations, business, research institutions and other fields of interest and must be a member. The board term is for three years.

Nominations are being accepted until 31 July 2018 and will be reviewed by a Board Committee and elected by the full Global Ageing Network Board of Directors. To submit a nomination using our online form, please follow the link below.  Alternatively, you can download the nomination form here and email the completed form and supporting materials to sdavis@globalageing.org.

Special Note: All nominations should include a copy of the nominee’s bio/CV and 1-2 Letters of Recommendations. Please be prepared to upload each document as a Word Doc or PDF to the online submissions form linked below.

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Any questions? Please contact Shannon Davis. 

 

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