1st ed. 2019 Edition
by Bea L. Dijkman (Editor), Irma Mikkonen (Editor), Petrie F. Roodbol (Editor)
This contributed volume is based
on the "European Core Competences Framework for health and social care
professionals working with older people" (ECCF), developed and verified
in a unique international cooperation between 26 universities and
universities of applied sciences in 25 European countries, part of the
European Later Life Active Network (ELLAN). In addition to the
framework, the book outlines the necessary qualifications and describes
the roles of professionals working with older people in health and
social services. It explores healthy ageing for older people from
different perspectives and describes the seven roles of health and
social care professionals (Expert, Communicator, Collaborator,
Organizer, Health and Welfare Advocate, Scholar, and Professional),
before going on to define 18 related competences and elaborating them in
performance indicators.
Beyond the ECCF, the book explains the
widely used CanMED role model and puts forward theories to support a
client centered and integrated approach on health and social care in
order to change attitudes toward older clients and offer better care and
support. It also provides health and social care professionals, for
example nurses, allied health professionals and social workers with new
contextual information and cultural awareness. It gives a voice to
students by addressing selected perspectives for professional
development. The book includes questions for reflective learning helping
to make the book a vital practical instrument for use in the
educational context throughout Europe.
Europe’s ageing
populations represent a major challenge for both public health and
social care systems. 18% of the population is 65 years old and over, and
this proportion will increase in the coming years. As a result, more
and more health and social care professionals will work with older
people in different settings – at home, in the community, in hospitals
or in long-term care settings.
Older people, and especially the
frail, face a host of interrelated issues, e.g. cognitive restrictions,
functional restrictions, psychosocial problems, multimorbidity,
polypharmacy and social isolation. These problems call for an integrated
approach to health and social care, which this book supplies. It is
intended for health and social care professionals, students and
educators, for a better understanding of Europe’s ageing society and of
the impact on care and services. Furthermore, the ECCF offers
educational institutes a unique resource for curriculum development,
education, training and assessment.
