dr. Benedicte De Koker (PhD)

Keywords:

family care - interprofessional work - communication with non-native speakers 

Experience & expertise:

The multidisciplinary research center 360° Care and Welfare conducts practice-based research and services with the goal of realizing future-proof care and assistance. From a 360° approach, the research focuses on four key areas: working person-centered, network-centered and environment-centered, with ICT as a facilitator. Specifically for the MOKA consortium, the expertise regarding informal care, interprofessional work and communication with non-native speakers is relevant (see below).
In our projects we work as much as possible with users (in the broadest sense: i.e. care recipients, caregivers, organizations, companies, policies) and we aim for maximum impact by developing widely applicable tools and methodologies.

Current & future plans:

For a full overview of recent and ongoing projects, you can visit our website.
Relevant projects for MOKA include: 

• The MATCHeN research project created three digital tools - an app, e-learning and a knowledge platform - that support social workers in their communication with non-native speakers. It is a collaboration between Ghent University, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and HOGENT.
• Project ‘Action research to improve cooperation between professional care and informal care: This project resulted in the ‘Samenspraakfiche’ (Conversation Sheet) to align the expectations of the three stakeholders of good care (the person with a care need, professionals and informal care givers). 
• Research on providing informal care in times of corona 
• PCA (Primary Care Academy)
• Integrative care delivery at primary care centers. Investigating the interdisciplinary approach to social problems in community health centers against the backdrop of the socialization of care 

Relevant stakeholder connections:

Direct contacts with associations of users and caregivers e.g. 'Steunpunt mantelzorg'/Direct contacts at Cédric Hèle institute/HOGENT also has a wide network of internships and educational partners.

Contact:

• benedicte.dekoker@hogent.be