TARGET GROUPS SECTION

JAHEE JA ambition is to build a common understanding of frailty to be used in all EU Member States (MSs). Therefore, JAHEE JA has a number of complementary target groups:

• policy makers and stakeholders both from the public and private sectors, involved in planning and developing health and social care policies and strategies for older people at local, regional, national and European level;
• those in charge of implementing health and social care policies at different levels of the systems, including those involved in the direct provision of care (formal and informal carers), in knowledge dissemination and in workforce education and training;
• frail older people and their carers, and those at risk of frailty in the EU.

In order to reach this aim, JAHEE JA places strong emphasis on the:
1. communication with stakeholders;
2. awareness-raising activities;
3. dissemination of its results.

Policy-makers

Policy and decision makers from both the public and the private sectors who are involved in the planning and development of health and social care policies for older people. They can be policy-level national representatives or policy bodies, responsible for health and social care policies at both national and regional level.

Who are they? Ministries of Health, Social welfare, and/or Education; other Public Health and Regulatory bodies; EU representatives (such as the EU Parliament members, etc.).

Why are they important? The JAHEE JA aim is to increase awareness of the importance of detection, prevention and management of frailty. The transfer of information to policy-makers and health care planners is important to ensure informed decisions on care planning and health and social policies, especially for the scaling up the frailty prevention approach.

What can they contribute with? Their role in the JAHEE JA is to support future actions and improve the planning of future structures and care personnel, as well as to make sure that there are sufficient resources for health and social care.

Professionals

This target group is represented by those in charge of the implementation of health and social care policies, including those directly providing care and support (e.g. GPs, physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, etc.). Formal and informal carers belong to this group.

Who are they? Health and Social care organisations, chambers and associations; Health and Social professional organizations; Medical schools, Universities and Colleges; Hospitals, Primary health care centres; Pharmacies; Practitioners, Researchers, Social and Healthcare professionals themselves, Managers of primary care and hospital services at EU, national, regional and local level.

Why are they important? These stakeholders are particularly relevant to the JAHEE JA since they can promote better knowledge, skills and attitudes to manage frailty in order to enable the health workforce to support scaling-up of new models of care, which respond to the needs of frail patients.

What can they contribute with? Their role in the JAHEE JA is to ensure that the results and outputs of the JA are implemented across Europe.

Citizens

JAHEE JA addresses the EU population in general and, specifically frail older people, their carers and those at risk of frailty.

Who are they? NGOs and older people advocacy organisations; Patients associations; carers associations; chronic disease advocacy groups; the EU population at large.

Why are they important? Citizens are the ultimate beneficiaries of the actions and results of the JAHEE JA. Our results will be translated into frailty policy changes and new frailty related policy implementation that will reflect into improved patient care.

What can they contribute with? Awareness on frailty and its management is of key relevance for citizens as it can lead to their empowerment, self-management and to better care for other people in needs within and outside the household.