SEE ME: Social inclusion by meaningful ageing

In this symposium, we report on the European SEE ME project (2020-2023, Erasmus+ funding) that aims to develop an educational model and an international training toolkit for different groups of caregivers. The project's goal is to accommodate better the needs of older people receiving care by developing a broader view of what it means to grow older. The project starts from a comprehensive view of ageing that acknowledges the potentials of older people, encompasses social and meaning dimensions of the ageing experience, and envisions old age as a life stage in which autonomy and wellbeing are accessible for individuals with and without care needs. The innovative toolkit emphasises the competences of caregivers to SEE the older person behind the patient, SEE care as something more than physical and medical care, SEE social and meaning needs, and SEE the positive talents and dreams of older adults. Attention to the potentials of older people for maintaining (and restoring) social connectedness and meaningfulness, is a fundamental goal of caregiving, with significant expected gains in the overall health and wellbeing of older people. By "seeing" older people, the project contributes to the social inclusion of older adults.

The presentations in this symposium are based on extensive literature reviews, complemented by empirical results of qualitative interviews with older adults and (informal, volunteer, and formal) caregivers in 5 European countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain).