The TEC-MED project is a scientific study that aims to create and validate a cross-cultural socio-ethical care model for people over 65 years of age and/or at risk of social exclusion throughout the Mediterranean basin.

The pilot stage is the most fundamental part of our goals and intentions to be established. The contacts and the interviews are the means where the recording of needs of the elderly and their caregivers, their assessment, and our intervention will take place. 

The initial approaches varied among the elderly either living alone or in institutions. Though they accepted the TEC-MED project, some of them kept wandering about how this procedure could help them in practice. 

As in Greece the health and social services used to be always deficient and limited the target population of the elderly and their caregivers were disappointed and distrustful of the program's benefits. 

The training agents gained the trust of the majority of the elderly and their caregivers so they agreed to participate in the pilot phase. In other cases, the elderly or the caregivers were willing to be part of this pilot process from the beginning. 

As far as the institutions or agencies are concerned they were positive about taking part in our project. The main obstacle in this occasion was the restrictions that the Covid-19 conditions arose. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 cases are highly increased in our country so we had difficulty in arranging appointments with the beneficiaries. Though the problems that we have to deal with, we managed to hold numerous contacts with institutions and agencies. 

Technological support

The TEC-MED project has a unique and innovative motivation: to keep the elderly and their caregivers in line with the technological use and familiarization. 

In Greece, the older population is highly far from using computers and technology. 

The TEC-MED project makes a great effort with the platform and the tools provided to enhance their ability to use technology in their everyday life. 

Although the majority of the elderly cannot really understand the benefits of the internet they appeared positive to cooperate. 

Sustainability of the program

Another advantage that we inform the target population about is the sustainability of the TEC-MED program. It seems potentially crucial and important for the beneficiaries to realize that this pilot phase is a baseline that they could use in the further future as well. 

The effort of the country's participants is not limited to the duration that the program will be completed but far from that in order for the beneficiaries to take advantage of program privileges. 

As reasonable the reactions are not equal among the final beneficiaries or the institutions and agencies. 

Some refuse to cooperate either from the start or during the interview. These are considered as lost cases but the majority till now express interest for this innovative process.