Rasa Naujanienė, alongside colleagues Gedas Malinauskas and Dovilė Daugėlienė from Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, showcased their work titled “Exploring the Needs of Informal Caregivers of Younger Adults in Need of Care and Meeting Them through Developing an E-learning Offer” at the 13th European Conference for Social Work Research in Vilnius, Lithuania, on April 19, 2024.
The study aimed to gather insights directly from the target group, expanding the knowledge base and creating digital learning opportunities for informal caregivers of younger adults in need of care. In Lithuania, the researchers conducted 12 interviews, including three with experts, one with an individual in need of care, and eight with informal caregivers. Thematic analysis of these interviews revealed critical challenges faced by caregivers in Lithuania, such as accessibility to community-based services, managing work-life balance, financial pressures, and impacts on emotional and physical health, alongside stigma and housing adaptation issues.
Based on these findings, and in collaboration with the consortium of YoungCare, a user-friendly e-learning platform will be developed. This platform will include interactive elements, comprehensive learning units, and dissemination of crucial information and psychosocial support tailored to meet the identified needs.