iSPO and geriatric care / assistance for the elderly

Since the founding of the institute, projects in the field of geriatric care and assistance for the elderly have been a core area of work. On behalf of Federal and State ministries, districts and municipalities, non-profit welfare organizations and private commercial providers, we have conducted program evaluations and scientific support developed quality management and quality assurance systems. In addition, the development of new concepts (for example, the social space-oriented “zentren plus” in Dusseldorf) and business areas (e.g. the establishment of daily help services), the training of employees and organizational development/change management belong to iSPOs areas of activity.

  • Demographic Development | Aging Society | Dementia
    The effects of the aging society are now felt in all areas of life. The social systems are exposed to special burdens. This affects the availability, affordability and quality of the required support and assistance. The dramatic increase in the number of people suffering from dementia and the question of how responsible care can be organized and financed indicate the challenge for the society just as much as the increasing demand for intercultural or culturally sensitive services and facilities. iSPO supports in developing solutions based on social-space oriented approaches.
  • Geriatric care | Assistance for the elderly
    Solutions for the future consist of a mix of different support services such as: Self-help initiatives, multi-generational and intergenerational housing projects, domestic help, home care services, special care services, hospice services and outpatient services (short-term and day care). Residential communities of seniors (including people suffering from dementia) and several forms of inpatient care are also part of future-proof help packages with services ranging from house emergency call and mobile lunch (“meals on wheels”) to technology-assisted aids and housing advice. Not to be forgotten is the need of managing the intersections between different areas of work, for example between assistance for the elderly and assistance for the disabled.
  • (Open) Work for senior citizens
    In the last 20 years, offers from the field of open work for senior citizens (senior citizen clubs, leisure initiatives and hobby groups, (senior) travel and (senior) sports) have been overlooked. It is now clear that this was and is a mistake. In terms of social space orientation and with regard to the activation of civic engagement and prevention, offers of (open) work for senior citizens are important basic activities. Horizontal integration of such offers and activities with semi-professional and professional support for the elderly and geriatric care is a success criterion for sustainable arrangements.
  • Cooperation, coordination, networking
    “We are not primarily lacking new, more differentiated offers, but we have deficits in terms of cooperation, coordination and integration of the various services and offers, both in terms of the case management and the care management aspects” is the summary of the current situation in Germany.
    Information, point of contact and placement offices (IAV) in Baden-Württemberg, advisory and coordination centers (BeKo) in Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland are recent attempts to introduce so-called care centers and constitute more or less suitable solutions.
  • Neighborhood and social space concepts
    Neighborhood and social space concepts are an integrated approach for the realization of the above-mentioned aspects that carefully consider the living and social environment of the target groups. Support interventions build on the resources and potentials of the target groups themselves. Different services and service providers are to be interlinked, e.g. so-called cross-over concepts that maximize synergies and allow for optimizing the individual offer in terms of both quality and cost.

Our Services:

  • Concept Development
  • Accompanying research | evaluation
  • Implementation Consulting | project management
  • Product development
  • Moderation