The WELL CARE project aims to strengthen supports available to long-term care (LTC) workers and informal carers for improving their resilience and mental well-being through care partnerships. The WELL CARE project has four specific objectives for these target groups: 1) To review, organise and make available evidence and data (with a focus on gender, inclusion, occupation and non-occupation specific factors) on how to best support resilience and mental well-being: we will identify and analyse 40 good practices and perform 10 in-depth case studies; 2) To identify, evaluate and promote the adoption of innovative solutions and prototypes: we will develop 5-8 general solution prototypes, which will be implemented and tested with interested stakeholders (e.g., LTC providers and employers) in five European Union countries (Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden). We will provide resources, guidance and a helpdesk to sustain implementation and the creation of favourable local, regional and national ecosystems; 3) To develop and foster evidence-based and action-oriented recommendations for policy makers and stakeholders: we will analyse the policy, legislative, service and financing frameworks, also elaborating recommendations on the basis of data and evidence generated by the project; 4) To develop, implement and sustain a continuous process of research and co-design activities with end-users and stakeholders at national level: we will set up and implement Blended Learning Networks, establishing a participatory research design and addressing real needs and perspectives from the target groups. The WELL CARE project will positively impact LTC workers’ and informal carers’ mental health and productivity (micro-level), as well as providing LTC providers with new solutions and tools for effective, efficient and sustainable support and retainment of the care workforce (meso-level) and new data and recommendations for policy makers and stakeholders (macro-level).

Patient Empowerment Individualized tackling of unnecessary stress, in particular when related to healthcare procedures, promises to enhance the autonomy and quality of life of many people and yield a significant contribution to self-empowerment, thus relieving careers and related persons from personal assistance. Not at least, also a considerable economic relief (see Impact). This is the topic the STARS consortium is determined to deal with. Of course, as will be shown, the objective is complex and ambitious and has to meet challenges from smart vital signs measuring to wireless real-time transfer of large data amounts to big data management. Nevertheless, concerning the expectable positive impact there is a large potential of revenue for the efforts. And, regarding present technological progress, it seems absolutely feasible to face this challenge when doing this inby a concerted, multidisciplinary, cross-linked effort. To achieve the aim, our proposal addresses an advanced, eHealth based concept for tailored avoidance and/or reduction of healthcare related stress, beginning as early as in the preclinical phase, proceeding during their hospitalisation until the end of the aftercare period. I.a. it can be expected that, recovery time will be shortened, harmful side-effects of sedating drugs will be prevented and costs will be reduced, which in sum will be an important contribution to a cost-effective healthcare system in the next decades.