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MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
the VIRTU project´s newsletter #1
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
-the VIRTU project´s newsletter
In this issue:
Creating new services in the social- and health care sector
”The VIRTU channel brings stimulation and joy to my everyday life”
Municipal decision-makers are encouraged to decide about the continuation of the
service
Municipalities in Turku and in Åland are developing the elderly care together
with the Universities of Applied Sciences
The VIRTU channel develops the communication between generations in Sipoo
municipality
Communicating on the VIRTU channel provides the elderly a feeling of security
in Kuressaare
How does the VIRTU channel work?
Virtu devices in the homes of the VIRTU channel users and at the service centers
Creating new services in the social- and health care
sector
Dear reader,
I’m happy and proud to introduce you to the first
Newsletter of the VIRTU project (Virtual Elderly
Care Service on the Baltic Islands)! The Virtu
project aims to develop new kind of virtual services
in the Archipelago areas of Finland, Åland and
Estonia. Together with municipalities, universities
and other stakeholders we try to support elderly
people’s living at home and develop new working
methods for the social-and health care sector. You
can read more about our activities in this issue.
As anywhere in Europe, also in the Baltic Sea area we can see huge future challenges
with demographic change, public financial management and insufficiency of educated
personnel especially in the social- and health care sector. The Virtu project seeks answers
to these questions by developing new virtual services.
It is essential that local municipalities are committed to the project because they are the
key service producers. As important it is that universities are able to educate personnel
who are familiar with new working methods and can take advantage of them. We’re glad
to have these both kind of organizations involved in our project. Development of totally
new innovations is challenging, but it’s also rewarding, interesting and opens new
viewpoints. We welcome you to join our journey!
Heidi Tuominen, Project Manager
”The VIRTU channel brings stimulation and joy to my
everyday life”
(An interview with VIRTU channel user Viljo, 91 years)
Viljo, a 91 year old man from Naantali, has right from the start actively participated in
the activities on the VIRTU channel. The VIRTU channel users in Naantali are divided
into two different groups: The Goldeneyes group consists of people over the age of 75
who are living by themselves. The Terns consist of family cares and rehabilitation
patients. Viljo is one of the twelve participants in the Goldeneye group. Turku University
of Applied Sciences has activities for the group three times a week. Once a week
Kummeli, the service center in Velkua,
offers activities to the group.
Viljo says that he actively and eagerly
participates in the activities. He finds
the activities meaningful. “I like the
entertaining broadcasts the most,
because due to pain in my shoulder I
can’t fully participate in the
operational activities such as chair
gymnastics”, Viljo says. ”The device
is really easy to use”, Viljo points
out about the touch screen device
that looks like an ordinary television.
His device has been working well and
reliably all the time.
The home care visit Viljo on a daily basis and has also been virtually in contact with
Viljo through the VIRTU channel on regular basis for a couple of months. In addition
Viljo’s daughter often goes to see her father. According to Viljo, participating in the
activites four times a week is a nice addition to the daily routines, and a new opportunity
to social activity. “The VIRTU channel feels like an interesting new opportunity and it
brings stimulation and joy to my everyday life”, Viljo states in the end of the interview.
Municipal decision-makers are encouraged to decide
about the continuation of the service
(An interview with nurses Jaana Vasama and Johanna Aarnio / Rymättylä, home care,
Naantali)
Three of the total 20 VIRTU channel users in Naantali are Rymättylä home care clients.
The VIRTU channel users in this area have the ability to participate in the interactive
programs five times per week: in singing sessions, quizzes, and chair gymnastics or in
different discussions with experts in various fields, such as a pharmacist and lawyer.
“We have also tested one-to-one contact with the clients. Talking through the device was
natural, and it certainly saves time when you do not have to go there, “says Jaana. Jaana
and Johanna believe that the elderly in need of social contact will benefit the most from
the service. “In addition one could for example through the VIRTU channel follow up
that the client remembers to take their medication”, Johanna ideas.
Both are hoping that they more easily could incorporate the new way of working in their
own work. “At the moment, we have so much filed work that there isn´t enough time to
adopt this new way of working.” Both, however, believe that when resources will be
properly targeted, there will also be time to learn new things.
Rymättylä home care clients have responded positively to the new kind of service. “One
of the clients got familiar with a VIRTU channel user on Åland and soon they found out
that they also had common friends”, Jaana says with a smile. Jaana and Johanna wish that
the decision-makers in Naantali would decide soon whether the service will continue
even after the project. “We hope that the municipal decision-makers would inform us as
early as possible if the service model in Naantali will be permanent. That way we would
also know what to tell our clients who are wondering what will happen with the
equipment after the project and whether they can keep the device or not.”
Municipalities in Turku and in Åland are developing
the elderly care together with the Universities of
Applied Sciences
(An interview with lecturers Ann-Maj Johansson and Marina Grunér at Novia University
of Applied Sciences, Turku and Inger Nygård, project manager at Åland University of
Applied Sciences)
In the VIRTU project the municipalities and the Universities of Applied Sciences
cooperate very closely. The universities of today take, in addition to their educational
responsibility, part in the social and economic development of the society. The VIRTU
project is a good example of this cooperation, where the municipalities and the
universities are jointly developing the eldery care, while the education adapts the students
to the new demands on the labor market.
“Novia UAS’s unit in Turku wants to be
involved in developing the newest
methods in the social and health
sector. The VIRTU channel gives the
students an excellent opportunity to
familiarize themselves with the future
working methods in primary care“,
says lecturer Ann-Maj Johansson.
Novia UAS cooperates with the
nearby Swedish speaking
municipalities Kemiönsaari and
Parainen and Åland UAS
cooperates with Eckerö and
Brändö municipalities.
The professionals in the elderly care can in the VIRTU project get familiar with the
technology and to explore the possibilities of what this equipment can offer.”The VIRTU
channel could for example be used at discharge, where multi-disciplinary teams together
with the patient and their family are planning on the continuing care. Some of the
supervisory visits and rehabilitation could for example be done through the VIRTU
channel,” Ann-Maj envisions.
Marina Grunér, lecturer at Novia UAS, points out that the objective of this project is to
integrate these activities in the municipal home care services. “All home visits can’t be
and should not be replaced by virtual home visits, but now the staff in the municipalities
can prepare a working model for this form of service containing both home visits and
other activities,” says Marina.
The contact persons in the municipalities
choose suitable elderly living at home
who then participate in the virtual
services offered at the VIRTU channel.
The universities provide, in turn,
support and guidance to the staff in the
municipalities. “Because the
equipment and technology is familiar
to us from the past, we strive to
mentor the staff in the home care in
how to use the equipment and we
also try to encourage them to self-
activity on the VIRTU channel for
example in doing virtual home visits
and other activities,” says Ann-Maj.
In Åland, it is however the first time they try this technique. “It is new for us all, but
Åland University of Applied Sciences still has an important mentoring role. Our
municipalities are small and not everyone has the opportunity to pursue this development
on their own. Åland UAS can offer the municipalities the opportunity to test this new
technology. Together we then develop the service and try out different activities“, says
Inger Nygård, project manager at Åland UAS.
The participating universities are constantly
developing the education and teach for example their
nurse and social care students how to use virtual
technology in elderly care. At each University there is
a studio from which the students have activities
together with the participating elderly and behind
each program is a long planning process. “In this
way, municipalities get stimulating activities for their
eldery, while the students are given the opportunity to
practice their skills and also gain valuable
experience in communication with the elderly” says
Inger. Examples of activities that students at Novia
UAS has had on the VIRTU channel is “The importance of foot care for elderly”,
“Thoughts of All Saints’ “and “Comedy time“.
Similar cooperation and development work is also taken place between the partners
Turku University of Applied Sciences and Naantali municipality and between Laurea
University of Applied Sciences and Sipoo municipality.
The VIRTU channel develops the communication
between generations in Sipoo municipality
(An interview with Helena Räsänen, elderly care manager in Sipoo municipality)
Elderly care manager in Sipoo municipality, Helena Räsänen says that they are glad that this
new kind of wellbeing technology is being tested in the elderly care services. In her opinion a
good thing in this multinational and multicultural development project has been the
cooperation between the project partners
as well as learning from each other.
In the beginning of the project the IT
connections caused problems, delays
and frustration both for the project
workers as well as for the elderly
who were waiting to get the VIRTU
device. When the IT connections
were changed from 3G to
broadband they started to function.
The program activities have now
become a part of the elderly
people’s everyday lives. Helena wishes
that the participating elderly will become familiar with and more and
more confident in using the VIRTU channel and that they will start spreading the word
about the service. The starting point for the activity is to improve the well-being and
activity of the elderly living at home and thereby to improve their opportunities to live at
home longer.Helena sees that the municipality will benefit from that the employees get to
know a new kind of technology, and thus also their attitudes towards information
technology will change.
During the spring 2012 Sipoo will try to get actors from different sectors involved in the
VIRTU activities. The VIRTU broadcast studio is located in the library in Nikkilä. Day-
care groups as well as school children from Nikkilä have participated in the broadcast
activities.
The aim is to bring together people in different ages that would not necessarily otherwise meet. During the spring 2012 they will for example initiate cooperation with the youth workshop and also implement a broadcast series of rehabilitation services. One of the actions in Sipoo is the workshops arranged for the employees in home care, where they discuss the potential use of virtual services in home care in the future.
Helena believes that the possible prejudice against this kind of technique could be reduced among the social and health care professionals by implementing this service in their routines. She hopes that some of the home visits will be replaced by virtual visits in the future. Helena, however, emphasize that the device does not replace people, but it gives dignity to the elderly. The aim is that the virtual services are reality in Sipoo in five years.
Communicating on the VIRTU channel provides the
elderly a feeling of security in Kuressaare
(An interview with home care manager Inge Lunkova at Kuressaare Day Care Centre,
Estonia)
Why is Kuressaare Day Care Centre’s interested in doing virtual home visits to
their clients? “We have home care clients who are visited only once or twice a week. Those days when
the client’s caregiver doesn’t go, it is good to keep in touch via the VIRTU channel. The
caregiver continuously reviews the situation and is delighted, if everything is fine with
the client. If there is a need to go shopping, he or she can discuss on the VIRTU channel
with the client what exactly is needed from the store. Such a communication channel is
similar to the phone, but better. Contact is more direct than when talking on the phone,”
Inge explains.
“We have a supported service user in
the social home whose medicine
should be taken at fixed times, two
times daily at 11 and at 15 o’clock.
The local support person in the house
only works part-time and she is not
always present when it is time for
medication. At the VIRTU channel we
have good visibility and can follow the
situation – after all, on the phone you
cannot see whether the medicine is
really taken or not, “says Inge.
What are the benefits of the VIRTU channel for the client? The possibility to communicate continuously visually creates a sense of security for the
clients. Through the video picture the caregiver can see how the clients are feeling and
also their emotions. The caregiver can offer support to raise the client’s mood. Through
virtual broadcasting the elderly can participate in physical and mental training, which
helps them to stay longer active and vital.
What is mainly discussed during a virtual visit? Inge answers:”We are talking about everything that anyone currently has in mind – about
the weather, health, and children. We are sharing sorrows and joys, we are making jokes
and laughing. After the first group gymnastics we received positive feedback from the
clients afterwards… If there have been problems with the devices, they always call us
immediately when the fault is found and the devices are working again.”
What kind of developing plans does Kuressaare Day Care Centre have for virtual
services? We started last year at November, first with 3 group activities – Tuesdays and Thursdays
we had physical exercises, Fridays memory game. Today we have also presentation of
new books which is made together with Saaremaa Central Library and panel discussion
about current topics.
Current topic could be in society widely known event or some issue, which is negotiated
earlier with clients and is interesting for them or close to their heart. So we’ve discussed
the recent strike of Estonian teachers and learnt about local municipality supports for
pensioners. At the Mother Tongue Day we had children performing from preschool group
of Kuressaare Park Kindergarten. Exciting guests are invited to participate in the
programs – for example on the 27th of December Estonian Social Minister Hanno Pevkur
visited the VIRTU channel and discussed with our clients.
Today, we have had first activity done by social care students from Kuressaare Training
Centre (local vocational school), instructed by their teacher Kai Rannastu. Activity was
like a music concert, students and elderly were singing happily together on the virtual
bridge. Between singings students demonstrated chair dancing – into music arranged
excercises which are done by sitting. VIRTU is part of practical learning for the students
– how to guide virtually, how to estimate client’s mood and statement through the screen
etc.
At the moment we have group activities 4-5 times a week. Clients are waiting for them
eagerly. Services are added and developing according to clients’ needs and wishes. The
Finnish partners’ best practices from previous projects are a good framework when
developing new virtual services in the VIRTU-project.
How does the VIRTU channel work?
(An interview with technical expert Mika Arvola, Turku
University of Applied Sciences)
Mika Arvola works as a technical expert in the Virtu project
and as an interface between the project and the technology
supplier called Videra. In the mean of October 2011 Videra
has installed devices for approximately 60 users in the
Archipelago of Finland, Åland and Estonia.
Mika says that the VIRTU device actually is a touch-screen computer. The software runs on the same principle as video conferencing systems used in the business world. “This means that you can be in visual and voice contact with multiple persons at the same time on the channel. The image of the person who is speaking appears bigger on the screen whilst the other eight participants’ images are smaller”, Mika explains. There can be more than nine people on the channel, but only nine images can be seen on the screen simultaneously. The software is managed by a touch screen user interface that is easy to use. “Most confusion in the use of the device is usually caused in the early stages, when the user sees his or her own picture on the screen”, Mika says with a laugh.
The VIRTU device does not require the client anything but a data connection (internet) and an appropriate location for the device, Mika says. The user’s device is the size of a computer screen, so it does not take up much space and can be placed for example on the living room table.
According to Mika, the technique on the VIRTU channel has generally been working well. The major technical problems are due to dysfunctional data communication. “We started testing the devices with
the 3G connectivity and found that it is not reliable enough in the Archipelago areas. Actually we were
forced to change most of the clients’ wireless connections to a wired network. That is why the activities on the channel were delayed”, Mika is sorry to say.
Mika has years of experience working in the same type of technology projects at Turku University of Applied Sciences. He says that clients and professionals usually have a skeptical attitude to the devices, especially if the devices don’t work properly in the beginning. Mika hopes that all the non-functioning connections in Finland would be changed as quickly as possible to wired networks, and that the installations in Estonia will be done, so that each VIRTU channel user could participate in the activities without any problems.
There are also VIRTU channel broadcasting devices in each participating University of
Applied Sciences (Turku University of Applied Sciences, Laurea University of Applied
Sciences, Åland University of Applied Sciences and Novia University of Applied
Sciences).