Support4Resilience

27/11/2025

Today we close three intense days of work in Stavanger, Norway, where the Support4Resilience team gathered for the kick-off meeting of WP4.

Starting this December and running until August 2027, WP4 will take the S4R Toolbox from development into real-world use. Across six European countries (and Australia), we will evaluate how the toolbox performs in elderly care settings, aiming to move beyond “reactive mode” and strengthen organisational systems that support leaders and protect staff wellbeing.

This phase goes far beyond testing a digital solution. It also involves validating the Resilience Capacity Scale and listening closely to leaders, healthcare workers and informal caregivers. Through interviews, focus groups and observations, we will gather insights into how the toolbox supports everyday work, and how resilience can learn, adapt and improve over time.

Thank you to the whole team for their shared effort over the past few days. Now it's time to move on to the next steps.

26/11/2025

At the 8th HCAC Conference in Amman, Carsten Engel (CEO of ISQua) introduced Support4Resilience to an international audience. He explained how we are developing a research-based digital toolbox to help healthcare leaders strengthen resilience and improve the mental wellbeing of both formal and informal caregivers.

By mapping resilience factors, supporting reflection, and guiding organizational improvements, the toolbox aims to address the growing pressures in elderly care, from staffing shortages to increasing emotional and physical demands.

Thank you to the organisers and to everyone who joined the conversation.

👉 If you want to know more about the project, visit: support4resilience.eu

24/11/2025

Last week, Support4Resilience was present at the National Patient Safety Conference 2025 in Norway, where Cecilie Haraldseid-Driftland contributed to both the plenary session and the leaders’ pre-conference.

At the plenary session, she presented insights based on research into how health systems can maintain resilience in the context of workforce shortages, increasing care requirements and growing uncertainty.

At the pre-conference, Cecilie presented the Support4Resilience project and what it takes to recruit and maintain a strong healthcare workforce.

Thanks to I trygge hender 24-7 for the excellent organization and for creating a space to discuss these important topics.

20/11/2025

What happens when support focuses on symptoms, not systems?

A few weeks ago, we shared the results of our systematic review on organisational interventions in elderly care. Today, authors Eila Kankaanpää and Anna-Kaisa Vartiainen from the University of Eastern Finland go one step further in a new blog post.

Their reflection highlights a clear imbalance:
while informal carers often receive counselling and structured support, interventions for elderly care workers are still limited and many focus mainly on short-term relaxation techniques.

Breathing exercises can help in the moment, but they don’t solve deeper issues like shift stability, workload or team processes.

This gap also reveals something bigger: we still need more research done directly in workplaces, with organisational conditions and real-life challenges at the centre. Strengthening mental wellbeing in elderly care requires studies that listen to staff, involve middle managers and support change that lasts.

📝 Read the full post here:

Why is there a gap in mental health support for elderly care workers? S4R explores the costs of burnout and why co-creation is the solution.

17/11/2025

What do long-term care systems across seven countries have in common?

A review article recently published in the journal Health Policy (Volume 163, January 2026) as part of our project takes a closer look at this question, and its findings are relevant to anyone working to strengthen elderly care.

The article examines long-term care systems in Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Italy and Australia. Despite their structural differences, they all face the same core challenge: workforce shortages that affect both care quality and workers’ wellbeing. The study also reveals that many countries rely on similar strategies, such as ageing in place, digital tools, service integration and task shifting. However, each system adapts these measures differently.

Most importantly, the paper highlights the role of middle managers. They translate high-level policies into everyday practice, balancing organisational goals with the needs and wellbeing of care workers. Supporting their work is essential for building resilient long-term care systems, which aligns directly with the mission of Support4Resilience.

Read the full publication here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168851025002386

Interested in finding out more about Support4Resilience?
Visit https://support4resilience.eu/

Congratulations to the authors: Martijn Felder, Roland Bal, Eline Ree, Maren Sogstad, Sharon Stoddart, Louise Ellis, Florin TIBU, Federico Vola, PAOLA CANTARELLI, Juana Mari Delgado-Saborit, Estefania Aparicio Llopis, Mari Lahti, Eila Kankaanpää, Siri Wiig, Iris Wallenburg and Hilda Bø Lyng.

03/11/2025

How can we strengthen resilience in elderly care?

At the EU-Safety 2025 Conference in Heraklion, Crete, Dr. Nektaria Pedioti represented Support4Resilience and presented our research on building organisational resilience in elderly care.

Her talk introduced the S4R Toolbox: a digital, evidence-based resource designed to help elderly care leaders assess challenges, reflect with their teams, and reorganise work practices to improve wellbeing and safety.

Drawing from data collected in six European countries, the S4R Toolbox responds to a clear need: resilience in care cannot depend only on individual coping. It requires structured tools that help leaders understand risks, align workforce capacity and build supportive systems.

👉 Learn more about our work at support4resilience.eu

27/10/2025

Want to stay connected with the latest on resilience and mental wellbeing in elderly care?

Join our growing Support4Resilience community of researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers across Europe.

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14/10/2025

What actually works to protect mental wellbeing in elderly care?

Our second review has now been published in BMC Health Services Research. This systematic review examines organisational, management, and support interventions that promote mental wellbeing and resilience among elderly care workers and informal caregivers.

From 5,700 records, 15 studies met inclusion: seven on care workers and eight on informal caregivers.

What we found: Organisational and managerial interventions are scarce. For elderly care workers, only a few approaches showed benefit (notably mindfulness, breathing exercises, and ACT). For informal caregivers, more interventions were effective (support and counselling, skills training, awareness/knowledge programmes, coping therapies, and computer-assisted care management).

Why it matters: Europe’s ageing population is increasing pressure on care. Building resilience cannot rest on individuals alone. We need organisational change that empowers leaders, supports teams, and protects mental health.

📎 Read the open-access article and tell us what you think.

The increasing number of older adults presents significant challenges for healthcare systems. Elderly care workers, leaders and informal caregivers are facing challenges impacting their mental wellbeing and resilience, necessitating targeted organizational and management interventions. This systemat...