Together in Line, the Power of Informal Care in Group

An aging population means an increase of the oldest part of the population, resulting from a change in demographic behavior and an increasing lifespan. The social networks are changing and the health care costs are rising. We know informal care of older civilians becomes more and more complex. A formal framework with a good communication to support informal caregivers is therefore essential in order to provide good care for a dependent older civilian. Informal care is the support and assistance of a dependent person, outside the context of professional care or organized volunteering, but by one or more members from the immediate vicinity of the dependent1. The 'informal care group' is defined as follows: 'a group of two or more persons who together provide informal care to a dependent person, beyond the scope of professional care or organized volunteering, but as members of the immediate vicinity of the dependent'. In this group, the different members contribute to the care process in an equitable but non-proportional manner. The dynamics in an informal care group are obviously different from those in a family where one central informal caregiver is responsible for the care of the ill relative: behind each individual of the informal care group, there is also a partner and/or children who influence the care motivations and accountability. Sharing informal caregiving has important advantages. Firstly, individuals of the informal care group needs less time to fulfill specific caregiver tasks and have more time to cope with external stressors. Secondly, caregivers in group receive support from each other, which strengthens their self-efficacy. However, the involvement of more caregivers may also be a source of conflict. This project aims to meet the needs of informal care groups of older civilians. An adjusted support for older civilians (≥70 years) and their informal care group will be achieved. We will focus on their needs, aimed to decrease the caregiver burden a