D-CARE project supports social innovation in Danube region as it aims to generate and deploy smart care services for elderly with chronic diseases and cognitive impairments as a solution to tackle the challenges and needs regarding the integrated care and social inclusion of elders with age between 55 and 80 years.
Besides the elderly, other project target groups include public authorities, sector agencies, interest groups including NGOs, higher education and research and education/ training centers and schools, SMEs, business support organizations, international organizations, and general public.
The project objective is to increase competences, to build capacities, and to support social innovation in Danube region by establishing a transnational cooperation network that will design, test and implement the model of Innovative Learning Environments in 9 Danube regions. Purpose of this project is to facilitate the creation, validation, and deployment of smart care services that will strengthen and integrate regional social and health care systems, with the goal of improving competences and generating innovative social and health care models (new business models, new business, new jobs, new skills).
The recent unfavorable demographic processes left their significant stamp on the labor force in whole Danube region. The mobility opportunities left whole regions without qualified persons. The young people seek better work opportunities in bigger cities or abroad, which left the elderly people in rural and urban areas living alone. In order to revive the regions and to encourage the population to be a part of the labor market and at the same time to guarantee the access to general services for elderly population we have to admit that new, innovative and cross-sectoral services are needed. Therefore D-CARE action is focused on establishing a transnational cooperation network that design, test, and implement the model of Innovative Learning Environments for elderly people 55+, in 8 Danube regions, in order to facilitate the creation, validation and deployment of smart care services that will strengthen and integrate regional social and healthcare systems by improving competences and generating innovative smart care models. Danube region needs to better capitalize on the potential of its increasingly changing and diverse population.
The project vision “to generate sustainable innovation for smart health and care services in the Danube region“ is applied from the consortium building stage. This means that it envisages a strategic integration at horizontal, vertical and geographical levels: i.e. competences, activities and sectors.
The project addresses the upper mentioned societal challenges through its three main action pillars:
Through D-CARE results, 8 Danube regions have improved capacities and skills to meet the employment needs of its population and elderly people will receive new smart care services.
• Romania: Dr. Vasile Micu Association
• Hungary: National Human Management Association, Mayor’s Office of the City of Kaba, DBH Investment Venture Capital Fund, Management Public Limited Company, CedarNet Association
• Czech Republic: Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyně v Ústí nad Labem, Volunteer Center
• Germany: BioLAGO e.V., Gruenderschiff UG (haftungsbeschraenkt) & Co. KG
• Slovenia: University of Ljubljana, RDA Green Karst, ltd., Municipality Ilirska Bistrica
• Bulgaria: Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations – Varna, National Alliance for Social Responsibility
• Austria: Johanniter Austria Research and Education, UIV-Urban Innovation Vienna
• Bosnia & Herzegovina: City of Prijedor, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Banja Luka Region
• Moldova: Public Medical Sanitary Institution, Institute of Oncology
Project action is focusing on three main pillars:
Improving local and regional authorities capacity for developing policy tools or programs that will support the generation & implementation process of elders smart care services/models in Danube region is addressed by deploying Transnational Learning Policy Center in Vienna. The latest developed the Transnational Strategy and learning sessions based on the cases provided by Smart Care Labs.
All project results are validated by the Expert Advisory Board (EAB) formed by members of quadruple helix multi-stakeholder groups.
Within D-CARE project validation of smart care model consists of SCL Testing Reports, that will be reviewed and approved by the EAB.
The project partnership built strong national and transnationally connected innovation ecosystems involving stakeholders from the quadruple helix – business, government, academia and user or civil society.
The good practice contributes to an innovation in the livelihoods of the elderly through the introduction and establishment of the Innovative Learning Environments (ILE). The ILE objectives include:
The success factors lay on the utilization of the Quadruple Helix Model, involving public authorities, industry, academia, and citizens in project implementation. Success factors include:
Constraints were related to the challenges of social and healthcare systems due to demographic change and current social developments.
The D-CARE project continued until the end of December 2022. Then the partners will discussed and draw up the lessons they have learned from project implementation and its results.
Budget of the project is: 2.648.285 euro
The project sustainability will be ensured through the increased capacity for delivery of health and social services through the created smart care laboratories for the 50+ population and shaping of policies in partners’ regions.
The project concept and idea could easily be adapted t other region and countries that experienced the similar problems with elderly population.
University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hateganu” Cluj Napoca
ioana.neagoe (at) umfcluj.ro
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