Project overview
PRO.active CARE F.or U.sers L.ife
Elderly and vulnerable people wish to be taken care of in their homes. But technical solutions to support independent living of people in need of care are often missing, especially in rural regions. The PROCAREFUL project wanted to improve the situation by developing a new model for hybrid homecare services. The partners worked on a solution that combines face-to-face care with remote and digital support based on machine learning and artificial intelligence. The deployment of the model was tested in five regions.
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2,29m €
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Project Budget
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80%
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of the Budget is funded by ERDF
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6
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Countries
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8
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Regions
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9
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Partners
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1
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Pilots
Duration
Start date
End date
Project progress
About the project
Facing the need to shift from a reactive approach to care, intervening only once problems arose, to a proactive approach that actively prevented decline, the PROCAREFUL project introduced a hybrid model of care designed for adults aged 55 and over. The model promoted early action by combining human support and social relationships with a digital tool that encouraged healthy routines to reduce the risk of cognitive and physical decline and social isolation.
The hybrid care model, supported by a digital platform, offered a range of cognitive, physical and social exercises tailored to each person’s abilities. Professionals were able to monitor individual progress and integrate digital exercises with face-to-face activities that stimulated social participation and well-being. The model and the platform were co-designed with seniors, informal and formal caregivers, managers and policymakers to ensure they responded to real needs and could be adapted across diverse local contexts.
Between September 2024 and June 2025, the hybrid model was piloted in Croatia, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Slovenia, involving 165 participants and 30 formal caregivers. The pilot phase assessed the platform’s usability and measured the effectiveness of the hybrid model in different home care systems.
Building on these results, PROCAREFUL also developed a policy strategy containing recommendations for the adoption of the hybrid model embedding a preventive approach to home care.
Project partnership
Project partners
Lead partner
Education and Care Institution
Innovation & Development Department
Project partner
Address
Resljeva 7 1000 Ljubljana
Country
Slovenia (SI) Web
http://www.inst-antonatrstenjaka.si/eng/institut.asp
Total partner budget
253,000 €
Total partner budget
211,000 €
Department of International Relations
Total partner budget
211,000 €
Project Management Office
Total partner budget
226,400 €
Total partner budget
213,100 €
Department Research & Development
Total partner budget
333,500 €
Total partner budget
211,000 €
Total partner budget
253,000 €
Roadmap
1
The Aging Population Challenge
There is a rapid increase in the number of older people in our community. Home care organizations are currently facing significant difficulties in delivering accessible and timely care services to meet the growing demand.
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Identifying the problem: Reactive Care vs. Proactive Care
Within this context, there is a predominant reliance on a reactive approach to care delivery, which focuses on addressing health issues only after they have manifested. This reactive approach is costly and misses the opportunity for prevention, which could significantly improve the well-being of older individuals.
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Our idea: Seizing the Technological Opportunity
Our idea revolves around the possibility of leveraging technology to tap into the high potential for prevention. What if we could harness the power of technology to proactively address health issues before they manifest?
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Our solution: PROCAREFUL Hybrid Home Care Model
Partners developed a flexible hybrid home care model that integrates in-person and remote care to proactively address the cognitive, physical, and social needs of individuals.
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First step: Identifying Best Practices
Partners started by conducting research and benchmarking in the Central Europe region to identify best practices and solutions for hybrid home care.
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Second step: Co-generating the PROCAREFUL Hybrid Home Care Model
The Consortium actively involved over 150 individuals, including people aged 55+, informal and formal caregivers, managers, policy makers, and other relevant stakeholders to co-generate the PROCAREFUL hybrid home care model and the software platform, ensuring their adaptability to diverse contexts and long-term sustainability.
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Third step: Pilot testing and Impact assessment
For 9 months, partners tested the PROCAREFUL hybrid home care model with 165 individuals over 55 and 30 formal caregivers at five pilot sites to assess model adaptability across different care contexts, sustainability within care organizations, and its impact on governance, organizational models, and integrated care systems.
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Proof of progress
Desk research was conducted and 41 existing solutions available on the market were mapped. A two-step co-design process was carried out, involving more than 130 people to co-generate the PROCAREFUL Hybrid Home Care Model and its digital platform. Then, 165 seniors aged 55+ and 30 caregivers in 5 pilot sites tested the solution. This led to the development of 1 Policy Strategy for the adoption of the PROCAREFUL Hybrid Home Care Model in the Central Europe Programme Area.
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Our Vision
To empower individuals in need of care to lead independent lives while simultaneously ensuring the sustainability of care services.
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PROCAREFUL Project
Digitalizing home care services to support people in need of care in the Central Europe Area.
News
Pilot actions
Outputs
Action Plan for PROCAREFUL Model Implementation
A comprehensive strategy that outlines the goals and steps for home care providers to design and implement a proactive care model. The plan proposes tools and approaches to engage staff and users and defines objectives and indicators for evaluating the model.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
PROCAREFUL platform
The platform serves as the main technological tool for delivering care through the PROCAREFUL model. Powered by artificial intelligence, it provides front-end interfaces for both seniors and carers, offering assessment tools, customisable training plans, and health-promoting activities. The final version of the platform incorporates feedback from end-users and includes features specifically tailored to the needs of the cooperation area.
Type of output: Solutions
- PROCAREFUL Platform
- Methodology for adapting the PROCAREFUL Platform to local context on the basis of users’ and practitioners’ needs
- PROCAREFUL hybrid care model and training manual
- Findings from the co-design process
- Meta-analysis on e-care, m-health solutions, benchmark projects and literature findings
Policy strategy for the PROCAREFUL Hybrid home care model adoption in the Central Europe area
This publication outlines the principles of the PROCAREFUL model, describes how project partners have put them into practice, and presents their experiences and achieved results. It also includes policy recommendations developed by the partners, along with brief reports based on initial pilot assessments, evaluations of key performance indicators, user feedback, and other relevant evidence.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
Project images
PROCAREFUL
Priority 1: Cooperating for a smarter central Europe
SO 1.1: Strengthening innovation capacities in central Europe
The project lead partner is solely responsible for all content published on this project website, including, where applicable, content created with the support of AI tools and the appropriate labelling of such content. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, its programme bodies or the European Union.
Project on social media
Project contact
Oscar Zanutto
Email: zanutto.oscar@israa.it