Digital Mindset for Carers

The decision to apply for the DiMiCare project was driven by the increasing impact of digital transformation on the care sector and the urgent need to improve the digital literacy of care professionals. Emerging technologies such as smart homes, telecare, robotics and mobile health devices are reshaping elderly and long-term care practices. While tools such as electronic care documentation and smartphone-based route planning are already in use, the growing integration of digital solutions underlines the need for targeted skills development among care professionals. Research highlights both the growing role of technology in care and the significant barriers posed by a lack of digital literacy, particularly among lower-skilled care workers. Reluctance to adopt technology due to unfamiliarity and perceived complexity increases the issue. DiMiCare aimed to address this skills gap by fostering a digital mindset among care assistants and home helpers, enabling them to confidently use technology and unlock its full potential to improve the quality and efficiency of care.

DiMiCare set out to improve the digital competences of care workers, with a particular focus on home helpers and care assistants. The project aimed to improve their digital skills through a flexible and comprehensive training package that offered both formal and informal learning pathways. This package included a modular DiMiCare training course designed for integration into initial as well as continuing vocational education and training (IVET, CVET), and a set of micro-learning units tailored for self-directed, workplace-based learning. These resources emphasised the practical application of digital tools in care settings. In addition, DiMiCare sought to raise awareness among care and training stakeholders of the increasing role of technology in care. It highlighted the need to integrate digital skills development into training programmes to better meet the evolving needs of the sector. By equipping care workers with essential digital skills, the project aimed not only to improve the quality of care, but also to increase the attractiveness of the profession, and thereby helping to alleviate the ongoing skills shortage in the care sector.