1. An evaluation of the Flanders Care Living Labs
Charlotte Brys1, Lien Pots2, Hakim Benichou3, Juul Lemey4, Ezra Dessers3, Geert Van Hootegem3, Mark Leys2, Ellen Gorus1 and Patricia De Vriendt1,5 on behalf of KIO*
1Department of Frailty in Ageing (FRIA) Research Group and Gerontology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharamcy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
2Research group OPIH, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
3Centre for Sociological Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
4Department Nursing, Artevelde University College, Ghent, Belgium
5Department Occupational Therapy, Artevelde University College, Ghent, Belgium
INTRODUCTION
Flemish government (BE) launches call for Care Living Labs targeting innovation in elderly care
Goal Create new care concepts, services, processes & products in cooperation with the users & test them in real life settings
1st phase Selection of 4 Care Living Labs
KIO ‘Knowledge Innovation Center for Elderly Care’: scientific consortium responsible for monitoring and evaluating the Care Living Labs
METHODS
Plan evaluation of the Care Living Lab designs, based on a document analysis of the submitted proposals by KIO.
Inductive analysis to explore the views of the individual living labs on care innovation for elderly in different domains:
Models in ageing and characteristics of the targeted older persons
Inter-organizational collaboration
Task division and job quality
Comparison of these visions with the prevailing theories about innovation through deductive analysis.
2nd phase Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the coordinators of the living labs to collect missing data and to verify the results of the analyses performed in the first phase.
RESULTS
Three major results in preliminary evaluation (see Table 1):
No use of explicit models by the Care Living Labs to approach the target group of older persons. The different target groups are broad and varied (younger seniors, frail elderly, chronically ill individuals & people with cognitive impairment).
Differences in structure, construction & governance model of the inter-organizational networks (ION) between the Care Living Labs. One aspect of network structure is complexity. The network complexity is determined by the number of partners and the mix of sectors within the network. The complexity of the network has an influence governance model of the ION.
The four proposals all mention the need for a more integrated care, but seem to lack attention for organizational concepts (like task division and coordination), although related aspects of job quality are taken into account.
Table 1. Overview major results
OLDER PERONS
(2) INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORK
(3) PROFESSIONALS
Living lab
Implicit models in ageing
Age
Bio-psycho-social status
Living situation
Network structure (complexity)
Governance model
Task division
Job quality
Platform 1
Activation and competention model (e.g. reinforcing functionality)
> 60 year
Continuum healthy - disease
Community dwelling
11 partner organizations 5 different sectors
Highly decentralized
Efficient care processes
Jobsatisfaction and jobcommitment
Platform 2
Activation and participation model (e.g. lokal social networks)
> 65 year
No inclusion criteria
Community dwelling and sheltered housing
6 partner organizations 5 different sectors
Moderately decentralized
Multidisciplinary teams, formal and informal caregivers
Work relations and communication
Platform 3
Chronic care model (e.g. vulnerable elders with a complex healthcare situation)
Frail elderly
Community dwelling, sheltered housing
and nursing home
10 partner organizations 4 different sectors
Integrated care via shared care protocols
Workload reduction
Platform 4
Active ageing (e.g. empowering older persons)
> 50 year
Continuum healthy – (chronical) disease
Community dwelling and nursing home
5 partner organizations 4 different sectors
Integrated care with informal caregivers
Work relations communications
CONCLUSIONS
The preliminary evaluation shows different approaches between the four Care Living Labs, which provides opportunities for further comparative analysis.
Correspondence:
*KIO is an interuniversity consortium studying innovations in elderly care in Flanders. The consortium consists of Mark Leys & Lien Pots (OPIH-VUB), Ellen Gorus & Charlotte Brys (GERO-VUB), Ezra Dessers, Geert Van Hootegem & Hakim Benichou (CESO-KU LEUVEN), Marc Jegers (iCher), Patricia De Vriendt & Juul Lemey (Arteveldehogeschool), Bart Jansen (ETRO-VUB), Bart Mistiaen & Bart Grimonprez (HOWEST). The consortium is financed by the Flemish agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT).