The IdoVis project was launched with the aim of creating groups of independent older adults, who were visiting other institutionalized and dependent people.
The main objectives of IdoVis were:
- To improve the emotional and affective state of older people in a situation of dependency;
- To create support networks between dependents and independent people;
- To increase the activity, sense of usefulness, relational capacity and knowledge of the older adults, promoting volunteering among peers;
- To create tools to support the monitoring of older people in a situation of dependency.
It was based on 5 main actions:
1) Creation of the profile of the visitor and visited, with a view to the selection of the participants;
2) Creation and implementation of a training program for visitors, covering the following modules:
• Aging – biological, psychological and social changes, adequate management of the therapy and impact of the polymedication;
• Humanization of care, relational techniques and importance of health affects;
• Daily care in permanent / permanent support structures.
3) Routine establishment of weekly visits, with support and technical supervision;
4) Evaluation of the impact of visits on the quality of life of both groups of older people;
5) Preparation of pilot project report and recommendations for further phases to be developed.
Resources needed
The transportation costs, with technical and auxiliary staff, as well as the organization of training sessions and dissemination were assumed by Cáritas Coimbra, through its own resources. ESEnfC supported the hours of training and consulting, through a formal protocol established for this purpose.
Evidence of success
Regarding users visited, the average loneliness index fell from 40.85 to 35. In the group of visitors, the WhoQol-Old average increased from 99.56 to 107.25 with a incidence in the areas of activities, autonomy and social participation.
The 16 participating visitors revealed from their experience that they feel useful again, able to use the knowledge they have acquired and express persistence, commitment and willingness to continue with visits in the future.
Difficulties encountered
We observed that most of the visitors that maintained the project after one
year usually were developing the visits in pairs and not alone; that if the
visited person is severely disabled or has had a severe disease or condition
the visitor many times quit or gets depressed.
Potential for learning or transfer
Has this good practice been adopted in other regions around the country or beyond?
We believe this good practice could easily come as very interesting and productive, to be learned and eventually adopted by other regions. Idovis has potential for a larger up-scale, although it has only been replied regional wide.
Has this good practice implemented as a pilot programme or as an extended programme? In case it is a pilot programme, is there any plan for a wider implementation?
A pilot programme was implemented for 5 months and involved around 16 participants in the role of visitors and 13 participants and 10 workers. A protocol of assessment of the quality of life and well-being was used in the group of visitors and people visited, with validated scales, which showed positive results in both groups. There are also predicted extended programmes, across Caritas health and care units and services.
Tags: Ageing, Social
