This project aims at integrating church-based volunteers (CBV) in community care. CBV will be trained to support (alleviate, provide relief for) informal caregivers (IC). CBVs are to visit and coach dementia patients, chronically ill people and elderly frail patients at their homes.

The project is an innovative intervention study based in two communities (parishes). First IC and CBV will be identified and asked about their needs, then trained in spiritual care and self-care, to be assigned to community members in need and guided over a period of six months. After this intervention part, we will evaluate the training and the practical assignment in the community.

The intended collaboration of CBV and IC is, in our view, an untapped resource in times of scarce health system resources. This collaboration will alleviate the burden of IC and prevent burnout.