Objectives

• The European population is ageing fast. The number of older people in the European Union (EU) is projected to follow an upward path, peaking at 149.2 million inhabitants (28,5 % of the total population) in 2050.

  Amongst the top policy priorities in the EU is the promotion of active ageing and ageing in place, in other words, the opportunity for older people to remain active and socially productive living in their home environment. Active ageing is a multidimensional concept defined by the World Health Organization as “…the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance the quality of life as people age”. All governments in Europe are concerned about how best to ensure the active participation and non-exclusion of the growing numbers of older people in our modern societies, with particular emphasis on helping those who are frail or with mobility problems.

  Respectively, many older people prefer living at home for as long as possible despite any increasing frailty and complex needs, that is “ageing in place”— a situation that is similar across many countries. For most older people, their home is experienced as the protector of their privacy and identity, a place that provides a feeling of strength, independence, responsibility and usefulness. Based on these facts, the EU health care systems give a clear prioritization to ageing in place aiming to the provision of support and services to older persons to enable them to remain in their own homes as long as they can, and in environments that are supportive and enabling.

   

  The general objective of the RISKSAFE project is to raise awareness on, and promote risk assessment and risk management in the community (older people living in their homes):

  – As a proactive, protective and promoting of older people’s well-being tool based on the right perception about ageing, allowing older people to continue ageing in place

  – Giving emphasis on the function of risk assessment and risk management beyond physical safety, as an umbrella term considering and analyzing:

  1. a) the so-called silent harms deriving from the pressure of a chronic disease or other age-related aggravating factors of mental, cognitive, social, and financial nature
  2. b) the individual perception of ageing and the abilities an older person might have
  3. c) the social perception of ageing and the existing relevant opportunities or impediments
  4. d) the role of such notions as positive risk-taking and proactive risk-taking

  – As a useful caregiving tool in terms of safety and prevention of risks, for the provision of better services for those older people in need of care

  – As a very important initiative towards more integrated care and better collaboration between older people and healthcare personnel in mitigating the risks of autonomous living

• At the same time, the project aims at improving the availability of high-quality learning opportunities in adult education within the framework of blended learning. Combining the particularly good accessibility and flexibility of the RISKSAFE platform with face-to-face events, RISKSAFE will develop a Toolkit for trainers to ensure the exchange of learning experiences and the possibility to respond to individual learning needs.

• Another objective is the further establishment of support offers for older adults, e.g. courses, counselling points, personal support at home etc. and to promote opportunities for digital participation, linked closely to the priority to contribute to meeting the challenges of the digital transformation through the development of digital readiness.