SACRED – Empowering Care, Enriching Lives

SACRED - Empowering Care, Enriching Lives

Client / Funding programme:

Erasmus+ KA220-HED – Cooperation partnerships in higher education (KA220-HED)

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.

Website: sacredproject.eu

Start and end dates:
01-11-2024 – 31-10-2027

AFEdemy role in the project:

AFEdemy will follow the work of the ABC network and disseminate the results in the networks of SHAFE and PAARnet and on the WHO website of The Hague.

AFEdemy is the leader of Work Package 3: building the E-Learning platform. In this role, AFEdemy will take the lead in developing the curriculum and the appealing content on the e-learning platform to impart knowledge on dementia and multimorbidity care. Additionally, AFEdemy is actively involved in the sharing and communication activities within Work Package 5: Dissemination and Awareness and as a Quality Assurance officer.

☐ Coordination
☐ Research
☐ Training
☒ Curriculum development
☒ e-Learning Platform
☒ Networking
☐ Policy recommendation
☒ Sustainability

Description

SACRED, Empowering Care, Enriching Lives, is a three-year collaborative initiative aimed at developing an E-Learning Platform tailored for healthcare students and professionals. The primary focus is on enhancing the care provided to frail older adults dealing with dementia, disabilities, or multimorbidity. By harnessing digital tools, SACRED seeks to offer accessible and comprehensive education, equipping current and future caregivers across Europe with best practices and evidence-based knowledge to drive both immediate and long-term improvements in elderly care.

Under the guidance of the City of Rotterdam, the SACRED project brings together nine partners across Europe.

The SACRED consortium is further supported by an Advisory Board comprising experts and representatives from sectors including older adults, higher education, students, and care professionals. A key aspect of SACRED’s approach involves the co-development and validation of its outcomes across six pilot sites, with the active participation of local associated partners and other stakeholders. These pilot sites are located in Valencia, Tenerife, Flanders, Rotterdam, Syros, and Treviso.

Through these concerted efforts, SACRED aims to bridge existing gaps in elderly care education and practice, fostering a more informed and prepared workforce to meet the complex needs of Europe’s ageing population.

Objectives

The SACRED project is dedicated to enhancing the quality of care for older adults with dementia and various disabilities across Europe. Its consolidated objectives are as follows:

1. Conduct Comprehensive Needs and Gap Analysis

  • Conduct thorough needs and gap analysis to inform curriculum design, ensuring alignment with current care practices and challenges.
  • Identify specific training and support requirements of students and professionals serving older adults with dementia or disabilities, through co-creation with older adults, students, teachers, and professional caregivers.

2. Develop an Accessible E-Learning Platform

  • Create a comprehensive, user-friendly E-Learning Platform featuring:
    • Open online educational courses.
    • A virtual library containing a database of evidence-based interventions and 20 good practices tailored to the needs of healthcare students and professionals.
    • Relevant documents for awareness-raising and further reading.
    • Interactive tools for practising learned skills.
    • Assessment of learning with a certification facility.
    • A virtual assistant to guide learners through personalised learning pathways, specifically addressing the needs of older adults with dementia or cognitive disabilities.

3. Implement and Evaluate the E-Learning Platform Across Diverse European Regions:

  • Pilot Testing:
    • Deploy the platform in six diverse European regions—Valencia (Spain), Tenerife (Spain), Flanders (Belgium), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Syros (Greece), and Treviso (Italy)—to assess its effectiveness and scalability.
    • This phase involves engaging 96 learners to test and provide feedback on the platform’s usability and content relevance.
  • Curriculum Enhancement:
    • Develop and deliver digital training programs for current and future healthcare practitioners, covering topics such as early detection and effective management of dementia and disabilities.
    • Enhance the classes at the University of Applied Sciences by introducing specialized coursework for students pursuing careers in dementia or disability care, accompanied by teacher training.

4. Raising Awareness and Understanding of Dementia and Disabilities

  • Provide well-informed resources to raise awareness and understanding of dementia and various forms of disabilities among students, professionals, and older adult patients.
  • Leverage digital tools to offer accessible, comprehensive education, preparing caregivers across Europe with best practices and evidence-based knowledge for immediate and long-term improvements in elderly care.

These objectives collectively aim to improve the quality of care for older adults with dementia and disabilities by equipping healthcare professionals and students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources.

AFE Related Topics

☐ Outdoor spaces and buildings
☒ Social participation
☐ Transport and mobility
☒ Social inclusion and non-discrimination
☐ Housing
☐ Civic engagement and employment
☐ Communication and information
☒ Community and health services

Target groups

  • Students of Higher Educational Institutions and professional caregivers

Partners

Project coordinator:

Project partners:

Project workplan

  • Work Package 1 – Project Management
  • Work Package 2 – E-learning preparation
  • Work Package 3 – Building the e-learning platform
  • Work Package 4 – Implementation and evaluation
  • Work Package 5 – Dissemination and awareness

Planned results

In SACRED, the following results will be elaborated:

  • A collection of evidence-based interventions/good practices
  • A report of the Needs Assessment and the Gap Analysis
  • A database of ~20 good practices from the 6 pilot sites
  • A co-created E-Learning Platform, tested by 96 learners
  • A comprehensive awareness campaign on social media that informs about dementia and multimorbidity

Media

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