Integrating health and social care services for older persons

Evidence from Nine European Countries

AUTHORS

Margit Wolf, Guenter Roth, Aris Sissouras, Jenny Billings, Maili Malin, Francesca Ceruzzi, Klaas A. Gorter, Dominique Argoud, Thomas Clausen, Kirstie Coxon, Natalia Alba, Steen Bengtsson, Giorgia Nesti, Cécile Chartreau, Marie-Jo Guisset, Andrea Kuhlmann, Monika Reichert, Aphrodite Teperoglou, Eftichia Teperoglou, Alain Villez, Riitta Haverinen, Nasrin Tabiban, Sirpa Andersson, Charlotte Strümpel, Laura Maratou-Alipranti

EDITED BY

Jenny Billings, Kai Leichsenring

PUBLICATION YEAR

2005

CITATION

Billings, J. & Leichsenring, K. (Eds.) (2005). Integrating Health and Social Care Services for Older Persons. Evidence from Nine European Countries, Public Policy and Social Welfare 31. Farnham (UK): Ashgate.

DESCRIPTION

'Providing integrated health and social care for older persons (PROCARE)' was a project within the EU Fifth Framework Programme (Quality of life and management of living resources, area 'The ageing population and disabilities") which aimed to help in defining the new concept of an integrated health and social care for older persons in need of care by comparing and evaluating different modes of care delivery.

Following the publication of a first book published in March 2004, the current volume on 'Integrating health and social care services for older persons. Evidence from nine European Countries' draws on the achievements of the second project phase (2003-2004) that consisted in empirical fieldwork and a cross-national analysis of model ways of working in the nine participating EU Member States (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK).

The book underpins the more general national and European considerations gathered in the project with empirical findings analysed in a trans-national perspective. Its chapters have been written by "internationally mixed" teams and will thus contribute to the development of a truly European perspective, providing:

  • a unique general overview on European approaches towards integrated social and health care services and policies that are to be developed to face the growing need of care in ageing societies;
  • indicators for successful approaches and models of good practice to overcome the social-health-divide
  • better understanding of the meaning of integrated services and the coordination of social and health systems in the different countries;
  • facts and figures about coordination at the interface between health and social care for older persons;
  • as well as problems and solutions ("lessons to learn") concerning regulation and coordination.
Contents:
  • Introduction: Moments of Truth. An Overview of Pathways to Integration and Better Quality in Long-Term Care
  • Methodology: Towards Rigour. A Methodological Approach to Empirical Research on Model Ways of Providing Integrating Care
  • Chapter 1 Definitions of Integrated Care from the Stakeholder Perspective
  • Chapter 2 Access to Integrated Care Provision
  • Chapter 3 Inter-professional Working and Integrated Care Organisations
  • Chapter 4 Key Innovations in Integrated Health and Social Care Models - Instruments and Methods
  • Chapter 5 The Role of the Family in Integrated Care
  • Chapter 6 The Outcomes and Benefits of Integrated Care - In Search of the Service Users' and Carers' Point of View
  • Chapter 7 Working towards Integrated Care - Working Conditions
  • Conclusions: Elements for Succesful Integration Processes in Long-Term Care Services. Some Concluding Remarks
  • References
  • Annex 1: Interview and Documentation Forms
  • Annex 2: Model Ways of Working