Care4Caregivers

A project aimed at improving the quality of life, health and self-care of family carers

Topic: Health promotion
Focus: Promoting health through the social integration of family carers
Method: Co-creation, Survey

Duration: January 2023 - December 2024
Status: completed
Location: Lower Austria
Funding: Caring Communities for Future

What is the project about?

Family carers are often subjected to a massive organisational, but also physical and emotional, strain. Regular sleep, a balanced diet, exercise and social contact are sometimes severely neglected. As a result, family carers tend to withdraw from social life. Loneliness is one of the consequences of a stressful caregiving situation.

In cooperation with civil society and professional care organisations, efforts are being made for family carers

to increase understanding of this group’s needs within existing organisations and shared spaces, transforming them into ‘care spaces’.

Tradition and culture are utilised as a bridge for communication and exchange, and as a means of consciously promoting self-care.

Regional service providers are made aware of the issue, thereby transforming them from mere providers into care-givers. This leads to the implementation of a culture of care across various areas of life.

Through the joint development of a role and task profile for local decision-makers within Caring Communities, these individuals are intended to become anchor points within the care network.

What is the goal of the project?

The objectives of this research project are:

to enhance understanding of the needs of family carers within existing structures (associations, organisations, etc.) and to improve opportunities for participation.

to develop and test new health promotion formats in a participatory manner, tailored to the needs of family carers, involving artists and cultural practitioners as well as existing civil society and professional care organisations.

in reducing the stigma associated with seeking help and changing the negative perception of needing support in old age by removing the taboo surrounding the topic of care and support in the public sphere.

in developing a profile of tasks and roles with and for local communities regarding the sustainable safeguarding and embedding of Caring Communities.

The findings from this project on improving the quality of life of family carers not only serve as a stimulus for increasing the social participation of this vulnerable target group, but also form the basis for the sustainable establishment of a culture of care in rural regions.

Who participates in the project?

Family carers, local councillors, healthcare providers, representatives of public services, and club officials

How are participants involved in the project?

Existing participatory spaces are becoming care spaces:
As a first step, existing participatory spaces in the study region are being identified through a social space analysis. Building on this analysis, a questionnaire is used to determine whether there are any informal barriers to accessing existing participatory spaces and whether these spaces cater to the needs of carers and family carers. The questionnaire will be distributed to association members via the local authorities and the various association representatives.
Together with various operators and boards of participatory spaces, as well as representatives from local authorities and care providers, five concrete measures will be developed based on the survey results, which will contribute to breaking down existing (informal) barriers and improving the participation of vulnerable groups within existing structures. This will take place via Barcamps.
Depending on the approaches developed, each of the five measures will be implemented in 12 organisations across the region. The project team will provide guidance and support during implementation as required.

In parallel, two workshops will be held with decision-makers and heads of departments from the participating municipalities to determine the role and responsibilities of local authorities in the sustainable establishment of Caring Communities and social participation spaces. The focus will be on developing ways in which municipalities and local representatives can publicly demonstrate their commitment to the Caring Community. The role of the administration is also being critically examined in this context. A set of tasks and roles is being developed to improve the sustainability of Caring Communities and define the municipality’s role within the care network.

Caregivers become care providers:
Using a network map, including a survey of the area of activity, the spatial distances within which participation takes place, as well as the social network of eight family carers, are mapped, as the radius of activity significantly influences the scope of participation. This reveals the networks and spaces in which the target group is active.
To raise awareness of the issues of ‘overburdening’ and ‘accepting help’ in the region, individuals working in the ‘third space’ are recruited and trained as care providers and mediators for existing support services. To identify potential carers, a profile is drawn up outlining the ideal competencies and skills of such a person, and a job description covering the scope of duties is developed. This is done through workshops to which representatives from the target group, the care network and the local council are invited. Building on the results of the network maps and the survey of the action area, potential carers are identified in each municipality (1–2 people per municipality). In two discussion rounds, approaches and practical guidelines are jointly developed and explained, covering how to address issues of overload and shame without offending those affected. Furthermore, participants will work together to determine which tools carers need to initiate the referral or transition to the professional care system (NH Plus & CN).

Art & culture become a bridge to self-care:
To understand the living environment and daily routine of family carers, this is documented using an activity &

How are participants recruited for the project?

Participants from the target group are approached directly via existing networks and thus recruited for the project.

What are the results of the project?

The Care4Caregivers project demonstrated how supportive, community-oriented, and everyday-life-based services for family caregivers and informal carers can be successfully designed and implemented. The project outcomes can be summarized on several levels: 1. Individual Level Noticeable relief for family caregivers through services and activities that could be used both together with and independently of the care recipients. Improved well-being among care recipients through regular social and community-based activities. Enhanced self-care practices and quality of life for both caregivers and care recipients. Development of informal support networks that continue to exist beyond the project framework. 2. Community Level A total of 106 events and meetings involving 1,071 participants demonstrate the strong response to and acceptance of the project formats. The activities strengthened social cohesion within the region and created new opportunities for social interaction and engagement. Local associations were strengthened in their role as important social actors and became more aware of their contribution to the wider care community. 3. Structural Level Municipalities were strengthened in their role and responsibility as facilitators of a caring community and were provided with a concrete profile of tasks and responsibilities. A foundation was established for the sustainable integration of community-based care and support structures. The project generated transferable models and tools that can be applied in other municipalities and regions. 4. Overall Outcome The project demonstrated that sustainable support environments for family caregivers can be created through targeted cooperation between municipalities, local associations, and informal networks. New opportunities for participation, social inclusion, and caregiver relief were established, contributing in the long term to stronger social cohesion and greater societal resilience.

What value and impact has the project achieved?

The project generated the following benefits for the target group: Relief in Everyday Life The low-threshold activities and formats (e.g., physical exercise, poetry, and local cultural traditions) provided opportunities for respite, allowing family caregivers to take time for themselves without having to worry about the care and support of their dependent relatives. Emotional Well-being and Stability Regular meetings and structured activities contributed to a noticeable improvement in participants’ psychological well-being. Participants reported increased enjoyment of life, greater emotional balance, and reduced feelings of exhaustion and stress. Social Inclusion Family caregivers and care recipients were able to establish new social contacts, strengthen existing relationships, and re-engage with community and social life. Empowerment and Self-Initiative Many participants began to connect and organize independently beyond the project’s formal activities, for example by arranging joint shopping trips or personal meetings. As a result, a self-sustaining support network emerged that continued to provide mutual assistance and social connection.