Abstract
Introduction: The EU subsidised LAUREL-project (actionable policies for adopting high-quality integrated long-term care) aims to understand the regional differences in integrated long-term care (I-LTC) provisions in Europe, along with the associated support solutions. LTC services are often funded and organized across various levels and services and pose challenges to care coordination and continuity. However, reforms are underway to integrate these services, that aim to improve the quality of LTC through the application of various transformative innovations. Nevertheless, significant disparities exist in the provision of formal LTC services among EU member states. The LAUREL project's primary objective is to develop actionable policies that can effectively respond to the challenges of growing demand, economic constraints, accessibility, affordability, workforce shortages, and the need for systemic reforms in LTC. The project will identify innovative, person-centred solutions that emphasize home and community-based services, seeking to enhance the quality of care while reducing territorial and gender disparities. Additionally, LAUREL seeks to align its outcomes with the EU’s focus on the integration of LTC and engage in innovative collaborations for pan-European projects to serve EU needs effectively. The project will produce a white paper on integrated LTC, consolidating its findings and consensually agreed actionable policies, alongside developing training courses and tools tailored to networks’ members and audiences for maximizing project impact.
Objectives: First, an overarching framework has been formed based on a rapid realist review that identified and compared frameworks for the understanding of integrated care and support solutions to enhance the quality of LTC services, the impacts on both informal carers and the formal care workforce.
The objectives of this workshop are:
1) To overcome identified gaps in the overarching framework: we will engage the workshop participants in discussions aimed at identifying any gaps in the framework;
2) To validate the overarching framework: the workshop's second objective is to obtain (expert) validation of the resulting framework (see key themes/questions for discussion).
The insights of the workshop are crucial for refining our model and addressing potential areas for improvement. These insights will inform subsequent stages of the research, including the survey-study and focus groups, which will involve stakeholders such as patients, patient organisations, and (informal) caregivers.
Target Audience: The workshop is designed for (non-)professional experts in the field of I-LTC, including patients, healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, and advocates for I-LTC. We welcome individuals who can provide valuable insights and expertise on I-LTC provision and support solutions.
Structure Workshop
Introduction & presentation framework (15 minutes)
Group discussion per theme (40 minutes)
Closing remarks & take-home messages (5 minutes)
Discussion: Key themes for discussion (Note: final themes/questions will be formulated after finalizing the overarching framework:
- Overall Assessment; 2. Relevance; 3. Clarity and Comprehensibility; 4. Applicability; 5. Feasibility; 6. Effectiveness; 7. Adaptability; 8. Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Approach; 9. Integration of Technology; 10. Gaps and Recommendations.
Conclusion: Based on the discussion and through engagement of the audience, a better understanding can be achieved of integrated LTC and ultimately contribute to a more equitable and high-quality integrated LTC system across Europe.