Research group Integrated Care for Older People

Now that society is demanding healthcare that fits to the individual elderly patient, content-based and organisational cohesion is needed more than ever in elderly care. The ageing population, rising healthcare costs and the decrease of qualified staff also emphasise the necessity of better cohesion. In reality, this cohesion is often still lacking because of the diversity of themes and current issues, and because of a fragmented approach. Within her research group, Marleen Goumans develops innovative knowledge to clear these obstacles, supported by practice-oriented research and connections in professional education. An important principle of her work is to let people's own capacities give direction to their life. The individual circumstances and the network in which elderly people live should be the deciding factors, not a fragmented collection of organisations, laws and regulations. The Hanging Out project for instance, aims for an integrated neighbourhood-based approach, in which informal and formal care for the elderly are perfectly attuned. Hanging Out is already being implemented in four Rotterdam neighbourhoods.

Research programme

The research group Integrated Care for the Elderly is part of the research programme Integrated Care of Research Centre Innovations in Care.

Collaboration

Aafje homecare, Actiz, Alzheimer Nederland, Argos, Careyn, DAZ, Erasmus MC-Geriatrics, Erasmus University (Institute of Health Policy & Management), Municipality of Rotterdam, GENERO, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Humanitas, Laurens, LOC, Medical Delta Delft-Leiden-Rotterdam, ROC Albeda College, Zorgpartners Midden Nederland, NHL University of Applied Sciences, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Sheffield University, SVRZ, Van Neynsel, The Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (Vereniging Hogescholen), Vilans, Vivium, Woonstad Rotterdam, Xelion, Ijsselheem, Zuiderkroon.