RESIL4CARE (RESILience FOR informal CAREgivers) is a project, from the Erasmus+ funding programme, which aims to improve the coping strategies of informal caregivers through the use of mainstream social media and the creation of online support groups. The consortium includes 6 partners: ISTITUTO PER SERVIZI DI RICOVERO E ASSISTENZA AGLI ANZIANI (ISRAA-Italy) as project coordinator, Interactive4D (I4D-France), Corporation for Succor and Care of Elderly and Disabled (FRODIZO-Greece), Instituto Valenciano de Atención Social-Sanitaria (IVASS-Spain) and FUNDACION DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA PARA LA PROMOCIÓN ESTRATEGICA EL DESARROLLO Y LA INNOVACIÓN URBANA (LAS NAVES-Spain) and Institut Antona Trstenjaka za gerontologijo in medgeneracijsko sozitje (IAT-Slovenia) and received a grant of almost 250.000 Euro from the European Commission.
During the kick-off meeting, coordinated by ISRAA, which took place on 10 and 11 February 2022 online, due to the COVID situation, the consortium members considered how to make the best use of the project results, which include, among others, an extensive literature search on the current scenario of online support groups, the development of a training manual and the creation of a virtual platform.
Through the involvement of informal carers in project activities and the drafting of guidelines to disseminate the model, the RESIL4CARE project also aims to bridge the e-skills gap.
Particular attention will be given to the use of the main social media platforms, in order to learn how to use them as a tool for psychological support, to improve the quality of life and to increase social inclusion. Finally, one of the central objectives of the RESIL4CARE team will be to engage the community in an interactive way, using interpersonal links to reach people who most need support tools in caring for a frail family member, especially the elderly. Through co-design activities and focus groups ISRAA will coordinate the whole project duration for a total of 24 months: from February 2022 to January 2024.