Important role for CAPHRI in ZonMw-subsidised transition project
CAPHRI is set to play a major role in a comprehensive transition project focusing on geriatric care in South Limburg. The project was recently awarded a €1.5 million grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) as part of the National Care for the Elderly Programme (NPO). The Academic Centre for Care Innovation for Elderly People (ACZIO), a platform that focuses on developing healthcare innovations, will act as project coordinator.
Public and private parties are interested in using this project to study quality of life improvements that would allow elderly people to live at home longer. To this end, they hope to develop ‘lifelong’ neighbourhoods that would better suit the needs of elderly people in terms of healthcare, housing options and welfare and service provision. The aim is to involve elderly people as far as possible in this project, for example through engaging healthcare agency Huis voor de Zorg as the client representative.
The transition project encompasses three sub-projects in the Parkstad, the Westelijke Mijnstreek and Maastricht/Heuvelland. CAPHRI will be closely involved in all three projects: Maria Jansen, programme director for the Academic Collaborative Centre for Public Health Limburg, will head the Parkstad project; CAPHRI researcher Inge Duimel will lead the Maastricht/Heuvelland project; and Luc de Witte, professor and lecturer of Technology in Healthcare, will direct the Westelijke Mijnstreek project. A further study will be conducted on the collaboration process and the results, led by professor of Chronic Care Bert Vrijhoef.