Family strategies in eldercare in

Hungary and the role of ICT: Skype Care

Zsuzsa Széman

Institute of Sociology, SR HAS

Email:szemanzs@hu.inter.net

IFA 11th Global Conference on Ageing

28 May - 01 June 2012

Prague

Patterns of care strategies of families

1. Active family carer;

2. Inactive family carer;

3. Family carer receiving a care allowance;

4. Family care with shared responsibility;

5. Family employing legal carer;

6. Family employing undocumented non-migrant carer;

7. Family carer also with earnings on the black market;

8. Family employing undocumented migrant carer – round the clock service, living in

What can they provide?

Type 1-7

- physical help, care, nursing, transport,

administration, etc and/or

- mental help but

Expect type 8, mental care does not meet the

need of older people

Formal care

Mental care is part of help/care

Pensioners’ club - for more mobile older people

Home help/care – LCT at home

– not enough

Residential/nursing home - LCT in residential home

– not enough

---------------

Other services

Meals on wheels: social sector

Home nursing: health sector

Suicide in Hungary among older people

Suicide attempts among old and very old people - great challenge in Hungary

Cause may be loneliness, depression, no goal, decreased social network: Formal or informal carers know of them

No reliable statistical data on suicide attempts

* Successful suicides per 100,000 inhabitants*

Male Female

60-64 y 51.7 14.9

80-84 y 127.6 27.5

85+ 160.6 28.5

Source: KSH 2009b, 24, 26.

1 year Action research in 2011

Hypothesis

Loneliness, depression of old care recipients

will end of they are able to learn to use

Skype

Better quality of life

Sample, criteria of choice

Cared for in the formal care system provided at home

15 persons capital (Budapest), (county seat, Székesfehérvár (5)

Receiving mental care and/or physical care,

Limited outdoor mobility

Loneliness and/or depression, 2 suicide attempts

Average age: 80 + years

NO computer skills

Having family members with Skype

Majority women

Majority white collar

Methodology

1. Before starting: observation, talk

2. During installation: observation, talk

3. Permanent feedback by carers

4. Intervention if necessary*

5. Involvement of a. 16-year-old volunteers:

regular help b. social workers (4th month)

case studies not knowing the previous physical, mental health

6. Evaluation: researcher

*E.g. sensitivity of the mouse was reduced, the icons were made larger (30% bigger 1024x768 instead of the default size)

Negative emotions before the installation of the computers

1. Amazement (that they are getting a

computer)

2. Interest

3. Disclaiming “I’m too old for that, that’s

for the young”

4. A great degree of fear, alarm

Positive emotions before the installation of the computers

1. Impatience

“When will I be getting it?”

2. Excitement “What will it look like, how will

I use it?”

3. Joy at reduction of the knowledge gap

between generations.

“I’ll have one, just like my grandchild.”….

“It will be good if I can use it.”

Motivation

a. See/talk with family, grandchild:

b. Strong desire to learn despite illness

c. New goal (worth living)

d. Daily occupation

Change of social network through Skype

Phase 1. intention to talk only to family Maintain or strengthen their relationship

Phase 2: want to find a friend, acquaintance Keep old relationships alive

Phase 3: want to find other older people Widen social network

Motivation: grandchildren, family

“I can see my grandchildren all the time

and they can see me.”

Role of young volunteers

By permanent help insured

Transfer of their up-to-date technical knowledge

technical catching up

end prejudice against older people

continuous learning

– „We taught Aunt K. to use the internet. She learnt

to use the mouse, to visit portals, create an

email account.”

Prejudice

Society

– “I’d like to see what these old people are going to do with these computers: probably put a lace doyley on them, and a vase on that and then look at them.” (younger man)

Family

– “The family didn’t believe that it would be worth giving a sick old person a computer.” (head of the care centre)

Positive change of inter-general relationship: young volunteers

“ We have a lot of other plans (!!) for

her, I would like to continue intensive

voluntary work with Aunt K.”

Impact of Skype on daily life of older people

Positive mental change by 4th month!! “Uncle A. has opened up like a rose.” (head of the

care centre)

“Uncle A. seemed to be a well-balanced, confident, communicative, optimistic person

social work student not knowing that he received previous mental care

No more suicide attempts

End of loneliness

New goal

More colourful daily activity

3-5 hours internet use - positive addiction

Skype as catalyst to acquire internet skills

“ He (90 years old) listens to music every

day, reads the news every day online.”

He received earlier mental care from the

home help!!

Important messages

Successful teaching from the most basic level (switching the computer on and off)

Learning Skype very quickly

Pace of learning differed, but all reached a similar level by 4th month

Internet: satisfaction of wide variety of desires and interests

Desire for permanent learning

Problem: not to use Skype but learn new functions of internet

Social inclusion

New customs: e.g. shopping on the net, watching soap operas online

New words (google, facebook, chat, surf, email, etc.)

Old word with new content (virus, mouse, library, window)

Need of helpers to learn, to catch up.

Expanding personal network!

Strong intergenerational relationship

Strong intragenerational relationship

Possible uses for public policy?

3 of the 23 districts of the capital are already interested in the program and considering to introduce it.

New action research under development- 50 new cases in the poor Hungarian region

– Goal: to explore how to implement the finding in poorer rural areas among less educated older people

Afterword: opinion of an old person

“You ask what information technology has given me. It has opened up the way to acquiring knowledge! The computer has brought great help and constant curiosity into my home. …I am doing research on my family roots on the internet, tracing all the complicated paths from 1311 right up to the present. So far I have been able to put together a few detailed biographies. I will have something to pass on to my grandchildren. I conduct a lively correspondence with my family members and friends. We exchange photos and videos.” (76-year-old woman) .”