eHealth in integrated care programs for people with multimorbidity in Europe: Insights from the ICARE4EU project.

Introduction: Care for people with multimorbidity requires an integrated approach in order to adequately meet their complex needs. In this respect eHealth could be of help. This paper aims to describe the implementation, as well as benefits and barriers of eHealth applications in integrated care programs targeting people with multimorbidity in European countries, including insights on older people 65+.

Lifetime abuse and perceived social support among the elderly: a study from seven European countries.

Background: Being a victim of abuse during one's life course may affect social relations in later life. The aims of this study were to: (i) examine the association between lifetime abuse and perceived social support and (ii) identify correlates of perceived social support among older persons living in seven European countries.

Methods: A sample of 4467 women and men aged 60-84 years living in Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and Sweden was collected through a cross-sectional population-based study.

The prevalence of lifetime abuse among older adults in seven European countries.

Objectives: To investigate the lifetime prevalence rate of abuse among older persons and to scrutinize the associated factors (e.g. demographics).

A Web-Based Psychosocial Intervention for Family Caregivers of Older People: Results from a Mixed-Methods Study in Three European Countries.

Background: Informal caregiving is the main source of care for older people in Europe. An enormous amount of responsibility and care activity is on the shoulders of family caregivers, who might experience problems in their psychological well-being and in reconciling caregiving and their personal sphere. In order to alleviate such burden, there is increasing interest and growing research in Europe on Web-based support addressing family caregivers and their needs.

Home Enteral Nutrition therapy: Difficulties, satisfactions and support needs of caregivers assisting older patients.

Background & Aims: The purpose of this study was to comprehend and describe the views, experiences and adaptations of caregivers who assist older patients treated with Home Enteral Nutrition. The objective was to gather empirical evidence to improve the delivery of Home Enteral Nutrition for old patients taking into account the caregivers' support needs.

Methods: A qualitative methodology with focus groups as data collection method was used to collect the testimonies of 30 informal and formal caregivers of older patients treated with Home Enteral Nutrition by the Clinical Nutrition Service of INRCA (Ancona) during 2014.

Abuse of Older Men in Seven European Countries: A Multilevel Approach in the Framework of an Ecological Model.

Background: Several studies on elder abuse indicate that a large number of victims are women, but others report that men in later life are also significantly abused, especially when they show symptoms of disability and poor health, and require help for their daily activities as a result. This study focused on the prevalence of different types of abuse experienced by men and on a comparison of male victims and non-victims concerning demographic/socio-economic characteristics, lifestyle/health variables, social support and quality of life. Additionally, the study identified factors associated with different types of abuse experienced by men and characteristics associated with the victims.

The prevalence of self-reported underuse of medications due to cost for the elderly: results from seven European urban communities.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported underuse of medications due to procurement costs amongst older persons from seven European urban communities.

Methods: The data were collected in a cross-sectional study ("ABUEL, Elder abuse: A multinational prevalence survey") in 2009. Randomly selected people aged 60-84 years (n = 4,467) from seven urban communities: Stuttgart (Germany), Athens (Greece), Ancona (Italy), Kaunas (Lithuania), Porto (Portugal), Granada (Spain) and Stockholm (Sweden) were interviewed.

Socioeconomic Predictors of the Employment of Migrant Care Workers by Italian Families Assisting Older Alzheimer's Disease Patients: Evidence From the Up-Tech Study.

Background: The availability of family caregivers of older people is decreasing in Italy as the number of migrant care workers (MCWs) hired by families increases. There is little evidence on the influence of socioeconomic factors in the employment of MCWs.

Method: We analyzed baseline data from 438 older people with moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), and their family caregivers enrolled in the Up-Tech trial.

The impact of incontinence management on informal caregivers' quality of life.

Background: The presence of incontinence symptoms might affect the quality of life (QoL) of those providing informal care to people suffering from them, causing social isolation, financial problems, psychological and physical exhaustion.

Aims: This study aimed at assessing whether urinary and/or fecal incontinence in people aged 60 and over affects the level of burden in their informal caregivers.

Methods: QoL was assessed amongst 304 informal caregivers of older people suffering from urinary and/or fecal incontinence, and compared to that reported by 305 caregivers of non-incontinent older relatives, all living in Italy.