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Creating Healthy and Secure Environment for the Elderly with Dementia (ELDEM)
Start date: Apr 30, 2011, End date: Mar 31, 2013 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The full title of the project should be "Creating healthy and secure environment for the elderly with dementia via supporting community work in Estonia and Finland". The population in Estonia and Finland is ageing rapidly - the proportion of people aged 65 and over in Estonia has grown from 13,7% to 17,1% and in Finland from 14,3% to 16,4% in the past ten years. Therefore, the social sectors in both countries are facing numerous challenges. In addition, several other problems occur with ageing. One of the most serious is dementia which is unrecoverable but it still possible to slow the process. However, the relatives of the elderly with dementia do not often know where to seek for help if the disease occurs and even the family doctors are rather uninformed. The first person to turn to is by law the social worker in the local municipality. Yet, the surveys have shown that they do not know how to cover this field. Another problem is the lack of information about the real situation in both countries. Thus, the current project is going to be implemented. The project aims at conducting a research that would give an adequate overview of the situation in Estonia and Finland by questioning the social workers and the relatives of the elderly with dementia. The survey will be followed by a set of suggestions to the public authorities on how to change the system. In order to better the situation by the project initiators, a joint curriculum (160 hours) will be developed and tested (via 40-hour-long training in Estonia and Finland). The target group of the curriculum will be the social workers. The curriculum also ensures the sustainability of the project - the curriculum remains in active use after the project has ended. There will also be a study book for the curriculum compiled. In order to directly help the relatives of the elderly people with dementia, an easily readable handbook will be compiled. The current ones have been written by medical doctors and thus very difficult to understand. To conclude with, the main expected outcomes of the project are: 1) the survey about the situation of the elderly with dementia in Estonia and Finland which is followed by a set of suggestions; 2) a joint curriculum along with the study book in Estonian and Finnish; 3) training for 60 social workers in Estonia and Finland; 4) an easily readable handbook for the relatives of the elderly with dementia. Achievements: The ELDEM project sought to raise awareness in Estonia and Finland regarding dementia and provided suggestions and guidance for the authorities and social workers as well as families concerning how to take care of patients affected by this condition. To achieve the project aims, a survey was conducted with regard to the situation of the elderly with dementia in Estonia and Finland, and a set of suggestions based on research was provided. A study book in Estonian and Finnish was also published as part of the project, and training was provided for 60 social workers in Estonia and Finland. In addition, an easily readable handbook for the relatives of the elderly with dementia has been distributed.

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  • 79.2%   323 224,00
  • 2007 - 2013 Central Baltic (FI-SE-EE-LA)
  • Project on KEEP Platform
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