The Erasmus+ ProCKD (exchanging good practices for the PROfessional integration of adults with Chronic Kidney Disease) project is about exchanging good practices for the professional integration of adults with chronic kidney disease.
The ProCKD project focuses on the needs and problems of patients from European Union countries. The coordinator of the project is the Federación Nacional de Asociaciones ALCER and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) from Spain and the partners are the Greek Network of Carers EPIONI and the Nephrology Centre of Saronicus from Greece, the İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi University from Turkey and the Stichting Dutch Foundation of Innovation Welfare 2 Work from the Netherlands.
More specifically, patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) or End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) face barriers to integration and/or retention in the workforce, with the main core of the problem at diagnosis of the disease and initiation of treatment, include lack of employment opportunities due to:
- Disadvantaged socio-economic status
- Fatigue and/or other symptoms of kidney failure
- Depression and social isolation Comorbid conditions,
- Complications with transport issues,
- Possible disability
- Provision of medical assistance and insurance to cover the costs thereof
- Program changes or interruptions for treatment needs
- Lack of confidence by employers in the patient’s potential at work levels.
More specifically, the ProCKD program emphasizes: how working patients can continue working after starting dialysis, how to encourage them to continue training and education, and how unemployed patients can be assisted in finding meaningful employment. Understanding the factors affecting employability can help patients to have a more fulfilling working life.
Finally, the ProCKD project together with its European Partners, in addition to the exchange of good practices, equally aims to promote an educational and professional framework through webinars and events, targeting adult patients with chronic kidney disease and their carers.
Within the framework of the project, the 3rd transnational meeting was held from 9 to 10 May 2022, in Madrid, to discuss the progress of the project.
The final meeting will be organized by EPIONI in Athens on the 7th and 8th October 2022.