National Pilot Activities No 3

Final Report Austria

July 2015

LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME 2013 - GRUNDTVIG MULTILATERAL PROJECT

INNOMEC -Innovative Management and Educational Practices in Elderly Care Centres

539829-LLP-1-2013-1-IT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP

Quantitative Monitoring

The national pilot acitivities had been developed from October to December 2014. The monitoring and evaluation are based on the detailed National Pilots Description as well as on the indicators defined within this document. The implementation and testing period lasted from January to June of 2015.

1) Number of Pilot Activities

Short Description of Pilot Activity Location of Activity Period of

Activity

Number

of

Modules*

1st Quarter 2015 2nd Quarter

2015 Total

Plan Realised Plan Realised Plan Realised

1) Group activities based on TBW

and Memoro; implementation of

activities

Graz, Compass Group, Day Care Centre

Cristall

http://www.compass-org.at/

01-06/2015 2 1 1 1 1 2 2

2) Group activities based on TBW

and Memoro; implementation of

activities

Department for SeniorCcitizens of the City

of Graz

http://bit.ly/1KcdGiS

01-06/2015 2 1 2 1 0 2 2

3) Group activities based on TBW

and Memoro; implementation of

activities

Graz, Neighbourhood Office Eggenlend

https://www.facebook.com/staeggenlend

01-06/2015 3 2 1 1 2 3 3

4) Group activities based on TBW

and Memoro; implementation of

activities

Graz, Caritas, Assisted Living at

Leechgasse and Elisabethinergasse

http://bit.ly/1Kcdxfl

03-06/2015 3 1 1 2 2 3 3

5) Group activities based on TBW

and Memoro; implementation of

activities

Hartberg, retirement home “Menda”

http://www.menda.at/pflege.html

04-06/2015 2 0 0 2 2 2 2

*Number of implemented modules according to the agreement with contracting entities.

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2) Number of participants (individuals within the 5 pilot activities)

Elderly Participants Younger Participants Operators / Trainers / Experts

Gender Age

1. Q. 2015 2. Q. 2015 TOTAL 1. Q. 2015 2. Q. 2015 TOTAL 1. Q. 2015 2. Q. 2015 TOTAL

Plan Real. Plan Real. Plan Real. Plan Real. Plan Real. Plan Real. Plan Real. Plan Real. Plan Real.

Female <65 1 3 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 5 2 3 6 8

>65 12 30 6 13 18 43 1 1

>85 3 4 1 4 4 8

Male <65 2 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 0 1 0 2 0

>65 3 3 1 2 4 5

>85 1 0 1 2 0

TOTAL 20 40 10 21 301 61 0 1 5 4 52 5 5 6 3 3 83 9

1) Assumption: an average of 6 individuals participate in each of the 5 planned pilot activities

2) Assumption: at least 1 younger participant attends each of the 5 planned activities

3) Assumption: 2 trainers from inspire (Elisabeth Schrattner and Andrea Gaal), 1 expert from inspire (Mioara Girlasu) and 1 social worker from each of the 5 planned

institutions.

In total 61 individuals (54 females/7 males) participated within the activities. 37 attended 2 modules. 29 persons volunteered for the interviews. Those interviews were partly recorded in addition to planned activities. The results were presented to the group (as part of the 2nd module) and made available under www.memoro.org/at-at. The group of younger participants consisted on the one hand of trainees of the visited institutions and on the other hand of pupils having been engaged for the technical implementation. The group “Operators/Trainers/Experts” comprises trainers from Inspire (Elisabeth Schrattner and Andrea Gaal) and social workers from the respective institutions.

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3) Pilot Activities Evaluation Plan

The aim of the evaluation of activities is to find out about and describe the desired impact of planned activities in regard to the different target groups involved. The following table should serve as an overview of national quality indicators, which will be individually derived from the National Pilots Descriptions. Quality indicators should cover diverse aspects of activities delivered as described in the National Pilots: aims and objectives, content, methods, organisation of activities, trainers.

Target group Elderly Participants Younger Participants Practitioners/Operators Trainers

Summary How do activities affect elderly

participants? What did they learn?

How did the elderly participants

benefit from activities?

How do activities affect younger

participants? What did they learn?

How did the younger participants

benefit from activities?

How do activities affect practitioners/

operators? What did they learn? How

can they benefit from their

participation?

Were the activities implemented as

planned? What problems occured?

How could activities be improved?

Quality

Indicators

Participants´ wellbeing

Learning by reflection and exchange

Participation at all modules offered of a pilot activity

Interested to participate in further activities

Learning by reflection and exchange with elderly participants

Active participation in an acitivity

Empathy

Be able to listen

Participants´ wellbeing

Learning by reflection and exchange with elderly participants

Sustainable embedding of activities

Promotion of activities

Satisfaction with the implementation

Record at least 20 Interviews with elderly participants

Motivate the elderly to a steady participation in activities

Motivate practitioners to the use of the Memoro-site

Implementation of activities according to the plan

Sustainable embedding of activities

Satisfaction with the implementation

Evaluation

instruments

1. constant reflection of implemented activities in an individual dialogue

1. constant reflection of implemented activities in an individual dialogue

1. Feedback and reflection in

individual dialogues after each

activity

1. INNOMEC team-meetings

2. Feedback and reflection in

individual dialogues between

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2. reflection in the group at the end of the pilot activity

3. observation by the 2nd Trainer of inspire

2. reflection in the group at the end of the pilot activity

3. observation by the 2nd trainer of inspire

trainers and experts/project

leader

3. Written reports of trainers

Evaluation

frequency

1./3.) constantly

2) at the end of each pilot activity

1./3.) constantly

2) at the end of each pilot activity

1) at the end of a module respectively

pilot activity

1) monthly

2) constantly

3) quarterly

4) National Pilots Final Report

INNOMEC – National Pilots Report

Partner / Organisation: Inspire – Verein für Bildung und Management

Reporting: Andrea Gaal, Elisabeth Schrattner, Mioara Girlasu, Max

Mayrhofer

Project management: Max Mayrhofer

1) Please indicate the overall situation concerning the implementation of activities in your

country:

critical difficult according to plan excellent

2) Which activities have been carried out yet?

Basics

A team of 2 trainers, Andrea Gaal and Elisabeth Schrattner, worked together in workshops with

residents of day care centres and other social facilities to find out about topics of large interest for

the elderly. They used creative methods to engage elderly people. An important role played the

method of transcultural biographical work (TBW). It was used in common talks to exchange

memories, record them, and make them available in the form of interviews. Afterwards those

interviews were recorded as video or audio-tapes and uploaded to the international database

MEMORO ( www.memoro.org/at-at ) to guarantee availability at an international level.

The workshop aimed at revitalizing and re-evaluating elderly participants´ memories, which should

be transferred to the present. The individual biographies served hereby as a basis for the process

of lifelong learning and the development of future perspectives. Biography based workshops had

been offered since Februrary 2015. The modules were held in small groups directly within the

premises of the care centres or other places of activities. The first module (lasting about 1.5 hrs)

served as preparation for the group. The second module was mostly held individually and lasted

about 1 hour per person. Within this modul using the method of half-structured interviews the

residents were interviewed for an anamnesis. These interviews were taped as videos.

Activities took place in 6 different settings: seniors café, district office, day care centre, shared flat

and assisted living, nursing home, and at home. Altogether 61 individual elderly people took part

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in 5 pilot group activities (12 modules) and individual activities at home. 37 of them participated

twice, 29 of them consented to individual interviews being captured either on video or sound file.

The youngest participant was born in 1949, the oldest in 1919.

Inspire`s two trainers were supported by young people, practitioners and/or people in training and

the staff of the visited settings.

INNOMEC would like to thank:

Emma Pfaffenschlager *Hans Kumpitsch *Hannes Stimpfl *Ingeborg Plautz *Maria Lind *Martha

Schmidt *Franz & Maria Sauseng *Renate Dunst *Konrad Kröll *Fritz Harm *Martha Rudlof *John

Mar *Sieglinde Prommer *Frieda Romih *Anna Pisk *Hermi Sabathy *Laura Pirker *Eleonora

Struppi *Maria Kiefer *Sophie Binder *Herlinde Szabo *Edith Wörndle *Rosa Reppnigg *Anna

Schafzahl *Hubert Hasenhüttl *Anna Perschthaler *Amalia Dobnik *Anna Spieß *Anna Schlögl

*Rosa Grill *Elisabeth Tauchner *Aloisia Fink *Maria Lechner *Mitzi Schüttengruber *Erna

Weinrauch *Helene Anderle (37)

Pilot Group Activities:

Day-Care Centre Cristall

Compass Group, Graz Bethlehemgasse, http://www.compass-org.at/

30.03.2015 (6 participants) / 08.06.2015 (8 participants)

Photos und biography cards helped to get into telling stories very easily. These were first only told

within the group with the video camera turned off. But soon the first participants were ready to

give a Memoro-interview which was then recorded in an extra room. Those who wanted could

afterwards return to the group. Two trainers worked with the group. One recorded the interviews

in the extra room while the other one stayed within the group to talk to the groups´participants

there.

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http://www.memoro.org/at-at/Von-S%C3%BCdtirol-auf-Wanderschaft_14496.html

The second meeting at the Cristall Centre was used for “strategies to cope with illnesses (Coping-

Style)” instead of continuing with Memoro. The participants could tell their stories without the

presence of a video camera and reflect simultaneously their own coping strategies. What kind of

active and passive methods concerning behaviour, emotion or cognition could replace one´s own

and previous ones? A discussion among the participants started.

At the end feedback sheets were handed out. Some of the participants needed help. The trainers

were quite happy over the positive feedback. A participant who was over 90 years old found the

content very wide-ranging. Having to deal with diversity in age and different perceptions it was

quite difficult for trainers to meet participants exactly where they were.

Seniors Department of the City of Graz, Coffee rounds

18.02.2015 (24 participants) / 03.04.2015 (20 participants) http://bit.ly/1KcdGiS

In Graz a seniors´ café takes place at a fortnight interval in a tavern in the inner-city. To each

meeting guests like representatives of an organisation, individuals, politicians and the like are

invited to talk about their institution or objectives and how seniors could participate in it or

benefit from it. Before and after this part seniors may just have a nice get-together or follow their

own program.

That was the place where we met our first Memoro-interview partners. After the first contact via

the Seniors Department of the City of Graz and a meeting with the manageress of the seniors` café

to talk about organisational details we were happy that MEMORO Austria had found its first

seniors. “Yes, please come and tell us about your ideas!”

But beforehand the manageress pointed out (surely based on experiences with other

presentations): „I can´t promise anything. Maybe no one will be interested!“

So, on the 18th of February, 24 pairs of curious eyes and ears watched and listened. We

introduced shortly the project INNOMEC and in more detail the MEMORO website. How the

initiative started, what the aims are and how the process works. In between questions were asked

and a little practice helped to ease the program.

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The general opinion was „This is interesting!“ But still some seniors felt too young to record their

biographies on video tape yet. Others just did not want to publish their personal histories. Others

felt unable to invest time and energy due to their specific burdening life circumstances. In the end

four witnesses were willing to share their memories with us and let them be recorded. Maybe

some more would have been willing to do so if the group would not have been so large and a

more private interaction would have been possible.

The interviews were made at home at an individually appointed meeting.

http://www.memoro.org/at-at/Russen-und-Engl%C3%A4nder_14379.html

„You´re very welcome to visit us again!“ The manageress of the seniors` café is meanwhile open to

MEMORO and invited us warmly to visit them again to talk about MEMORO.

District office Eggenlend

WIKI, Graz Eggenberg, https://www.facebook.com/staeggenlend

24.02.2015 (5 participants) / 09.04.2015 (6 participants) / 21.04.2015 (3 participants)

The „felt“ district of Eggenlend in Graz has almost traditionally been a field of care for WIKI – be it

with child care institutions or the youth centre in the Waagner-Biro-Street. Since 2013 WIKI has

been contributing to a successful communal life by the district project Eggenlend. WIKI`s offer in

this district is based on 2 pillars: firstly on mobile community work and secondly on the district

neighbourhood office as a central contact point.

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On the 24th of February the team of INNOMEC was invited for some activities with previously

invited seniors from this district. It was an informal athmosphere because the participants partly

knew each other personally. They told each other stories from their childhood and how life used

to be in this district. By now unknown facts were exchanged, they got to know each other better

and they were very interested in the stories of the others.

The participants were very interested to share their memories with MEMORO:

http://www.memoro.org/at-at/Kindheitserinnerung---Mein-Lieblings-Stier_14175.html

The second meeting took place at the tavern “Roschitz” which is situated next door. We were able

to welcome 6 participants: one who already attended the first meeting and additionally 5 new

interested ones. At the final third meeting again 2 new participants were welcomed.

Caritas, Assisted Living

Graz Leechgasse, http://bit.ly/1Kcdxfl

31.03.2015 (5 participants) / 21.05.2015 (3 participants)

Due to the great confidence that the residents have to Mrs. Pradatscher, who is the manageress of

the residence, and the pre-information about Memoro, 6 residents were willing to give us

interviews within their own living area. They did not need inspirations through photos or topic

menu-cards. They loved to tell their stories. No wonder as we could find out later.

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One resident who had recently spent time at the intensive care unit fighting for her life told us

that she decided in this situation to get through it. To give up was not an option. Asked for her

motivation to do so she answered: “I wanted to come back to my friends I have at the assisted

living. This was my motivation.” She and the other residents feel very comfortable in this

surrounding. As a specific consequence of the good care in this location the residents are very

interested in new things, as for example in Memoro. The feedback from the staff was encouraging

as they told us that the residents were more open and balanced after the interviews and that they

liked not only the module of Memoro but also the trainers very well.

The exchange with the manageress, the staff, or the residents was very delightful: no matter if we

offered information about the constellation work, the handbook on methods that had been

summed up by inspire-thinking, the information about the coordination office of the University of

Graz or information on the partly still tabooed topic of sexuality in age.

Retirement home „Menda“

Hartberg, http://www.menda.at/pflege.html

07.04.2015 (9 TN) / 15.04.2015 (5 TN)

Menda is a nursing home in Hartberg with lots of engagement. Since decades always a little bit of

more exists in Menda than in other nursing homes: more of engagement, more of openness or

more of thinking laterally. Therefore project INNOMEC was very welcomed from the beginning on.

To implement the project one more volunteer, namely Daniela Rotheneder-Stari, was engaged.

Memory-work was done in two groups using items out of the memory suitcase. What we found

out: to work in small groups with only a maximum 5 participants is much better. It allows to be

more individual, personal, and people tend to open up quicker.

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Some of the seniors partly knew each other because they came from the same place. But most of

them did not really know each other well. They had known each other just since moving to the

retirement home and more from greeting than from talking. The exercises within the group and

the dialogues and discussions encouraged them finally to get in contact with each other and have

some exchange. Hearing biographies from others makes it easier to tell one´s own.

Information that we got during the project:

+ most favorite places where the now seniors liked to stay as a child.

+ mining families faced a much better financial situation than farming families.

+ many of them moved during their lives – voluntarily or involuntarily.

+ some secrets will be kept a secret forever.

+ some wonderful wisdoms: „The love I got from my grandfather was the strength I could draw

upon my whole life!“

We interviewed 4 seniors for MEMORO.

We heard stories about farming skills like butter churning or very personal and intimate

biographies.Those stories were recorded for the MEMORO-database. A photo project and a small

final presentation are at work. The project in Menda will finalize in autumn 2015.

Subsequent report on MEMORO at home

„Please, come in!“

The interviewers were warmly welcomed by individual participants in their homes. They had made

some preparations such as coffee and cake or Palatschinken with juice. These meetings turned out

to be very heartful and relaxed. Some of the planned one hour sessions turned into two hour

sessions. The interviews at home lead to more relaxation, concentration and assurance. This had a

very positive effect on the whole interviewing situation.

Some heart touching, beautiful, exciting, informative, interesting and funny stories found their

way into the present and the video camera. You´d have wished to stay much longer …

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3) Evaluation results

The feedback from participants and practitioners of the respective institutions had been gathered

right after the single modules/single interviews. An important part played the observation of the

participants´ behaviour and their verbal feedback to the practitioners hours or days after the

modules. Those verbal feedbacks built the basis for the flexible and spontaneous work with the

participants.

The photo documentation of the activities from Andrea Gaal offers some additional hints in what

way quality critieria had been fulfilled.

a) Interviews lead for example to a common plan of measures related to actual problems and

wishes. Those measures helped to improve the quality of life and wellbeing.

b) Interviews partly lead to a reflection of one´s own coping strategies with illnesses (See also.:

Lang/Schmeling-Kludas/Koch. Accompaning heavily ill or moribund persons: the Hamburger

Program. Schattauer 2007)

c) „Thank you very much, you´r welcome to come back!“ The participants were happy to be visited

by the practitioners within their own environment and be able to present themselves as hosts.

d) Often told: „Yes, surely, my children know this already!“ / Seldom told: „Who really wants to

hear that“, „I don´t want to burden someone with that!“, „No one talked about that!“ / Never

told: „I have to tell you something that I haven´t told anyone before. (But not in front of the

camera, please!)“ – The participants appriciated to tell things they wouldn´t tell otherwise.

e) Practitioners were happy about activities offered. Because of lack of resources they often have

to restrict themselves to just offering nursing services.

f) MEMORO, the recording of videos got positive feedback throughout. Practitioners told that

especially relatives were happy with the recorded memories of their beloved.

g) The contact to the institutions (f.e. Menda) will be continued. Practitioners are willing to create

their own profile at the MEMORO database to implement activities on their own.

h) The trainers Andrea Gaal and Elisabeth Schrattner will furtheron use the service which had been

developed during INNOMEC for their future professional career.

i) For inspire as the responsible organisation for INNOMEC contacts established and the MEMORO-

site offer interesting possibilities for further cooperations in other projects.

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4) Which problems occured / which solutions can be recommended?

The contact persons within the respective organisations need to be very well informed. Elderly

people very often have a high trust in their caretakers. It may turn out difficult for new trainers

offering new things to be met with openness from participants if the confidence basis had not

been established via the local practitioners.

It is necessary to talk about plans and concepts in time. Talks shall be held at best before the

beginning of the activities and together with the local caretakers and practitioners. This is also

valid for the used materials. It will ease the cooperation.

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But still it is very important for practitioners and trainers to stay flexible concerning plans and

methods to react to circumstances given by the local situation, the size of the group and individual

needs of the participants. This means that strict plans or special expectations as well as pre-

conceived text phrases in regard to the timeline or topic may be a big handicap.

Empathy on the other side helps the people to relax and open themselves. The light nervousness

at the beginning of the interview will disappear when the interviewed partners find out that they

are respected and that their biographies are listened to with interest without valueing, devalueing

or even condemning.

It is highly recommended to know well about the specific circumstances of premises (light, space,

noise, extra room for interview recording) before the meeting starts.

Participants are easily distracted by new rooms or persons. Self-consciousness does not appear

within familiar surroundings, where they can concentrate on what is asked for: focus on their

stories, focus on inter-personal relationships.

In a relaxed athomsphere it is easier to talk about experiences especially if they were or are

burdening. This is also true for longtime forgotten experiences.

An important role plays good functioning technical equipment which is especially valid for

speakers. Soundproblems we had during the first interviews could afterwards only be solved using

software.

To record an individual interview while the other participants are present needs information for

the non-participants by attaching for example a note at the door saying “Please, do not disturb.

Filming in progress.” The local staff shall be asked not to serve drinks or meals during filming. And

all present participants have to be able to understand that they cannot talk to each other while

filming is going on.

5) What are the 5 most important results of your activities? What are your recommondations?

Elderly people don`t know each other well although some of them meet daily. Guided round

tables are very helpful to get in contact with each other.

It is better to to work in small groups with only about 5 people attending.

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People who still live alone at home are more critical about videotaking or the internet than

people who already experience some kind of care.

Be flexible! Try offering something different depending on the setting and the participants.

A preparation of the participants by their care-takers is very important for a good

implementation of activities.