On 9-10 October 2025, Dr. Simona Hvalič Touzery from Centre for Social Informatics at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, actively participated in a two-day event organized by Eurocarers – European Association Working for Carers in Vilnius, Lithuania. The event, hosted by the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences and the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, brought together researchers, representatives of carers’ organizations, and policymakers from across Europe.
The first day featured a meeting of the Eurocarers Research Working Group, dedicated to exchanging research insights and discussing the involvement of carers’ organizations in research. Fifteen researchers from thirteen Eurocarers member countries presented their contributions. Particular attention was given to the discussion on the principles of fair inclusion of carers’ organizations in research, representing an important step towards greater equality and recognition of their role in research processes.
Among the speakers was Dr. Hvalič Touzery, who presented her contribution titled “Telecare in the Informal Care of Older Adults: Insights from Slovenia.” She shared findings on the use of telecare among informal carers of older adults in Slovenia and discussed key opportunities and challenges related to accessibility, acceptance, and integration of telecare into the long-term care system, topics also explored within the ARIS project Digital transformation of health and social care (J5-4578).
The second day featured the conference “Mapping Informal Care: Research, Policies and Practices in the Baltics and in Europe,” with presentations by researchers from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, focusing on the latest trends and policies in informal care.
The event coincided with the European Carers Day (6 October), dedicated to recognizing those who provide unpaid care for older, ill, or disabled family members, friends, or neighbours. In Slovenia, informal carers – mostly family members – provide a bulk of the long-term care, with almost one in four adults caring for an older relative.