Partner Meeting in Tallinn 25th-26th of January

February 20, 2012 – 1:51 pm

VIRTU project’s first partner meeting in year 2012 took place in historical town of Tallinn.

Wednesday 25th of January we visited in the Parliament of Estonia, Riigikogu. Member of Parliament Urve Tiidus welcomed us to the Parliament. She knows the VIRTU project beforehand and was now updated about the project’s current issues.

Partner meeting took place in 26th of January in Viru hotel’s conference room.

Partners from different areas sharing experiences and discussion about the future plans of VIRTU.

Coming up: International CURRENT CHALLENGES-FUTURE SOLUTIONS -Seminar

February 2, 2012 – 1:50 pm

Technological Innovations and Effectiveness in Social and Health Care Services

Mark the date: the 29th of November 2012 VIRTU’s International One-Day Seminar in Turku, Finland

Welcome to the VIRTU-channel’s international CURRENT CHALLENGES-FUTURE SOLUTIONS -seminar next November.

We are expecting visitors to Turku, for example, from Finland, Sweden and Estonia. Great opportunity for the officials and professionals in the Social and Health Care sector as well as for professionals in the public, private or third sector!

Come and hear the interesting speakers and lectures of the latest technological innovations in social and health care! One of the topics in the seminar is the benefits and effectiveness of using welfare technological innovations in social and health care.

What’s more, after the seminar you can participate in a Network and Scandinavian Tapas party. An opportunity to meet other guests and speakers, explore the photographic exhibition of VIRTU and enjoy the Scandinavian Tapas!

We are looking forward to seeing you in Turku in November!

More information of the seminar will be updated on these pages later.

Many activities on the VIRTU channel in Eckerö

December 27, 2011 – 10:40 am

I am pleased to say that we have a lot of activities on the VIRTU channel in Eckerö! The technique is working well and we have had a lot of interesting activities both from Åland University of Applied Sciences and from the service center Solgården. The health promoting activities have been for example chair gymnastics, memory games and travelogues led by nurse students, public health nurses, the pharmacy Nya Apoteket and the priest. In the near future we are planning to start playing bingo and singing songs together with the elderly on the VIRTU channel.

Chair gymnastics at the VIRTU channel

The VIRTU channel is being used frequently for one-to one contacts, for the VIRTU channel activities and for getting in contact with the service center Solgården, which now offers service 24 hours a day.

The participants in Eckerö have got an expanded social network now since users from Brändö and soon also users from Sottunga are engaged in the project. They are calling each other on the VIRTU channel. We have also met individual needs by, for example, offering those with Finnish as their mother tongue the possibility to participate in the activities and to call users in the project’s Finnish speaking region.

Jenny Husell and a VIRTU channel user calling other participants in Eckerö

The project has got a lot of attention in the media; Nya Åland, Ålands radio, FST5 and SOS aktuellt have done articles and radio spots about the VIRTU channel and we have had many study visits.

Now when the activities are going well, new forms of service are being developed together with the user’s relatives, Åland’s social and health care unit, the pharmacy Nya apoteket and many others.

The article was written by Jenny Husell, project assistant at Åland University of Applied Sciences and Eckerö municipality

New students in the VIRTU-project

December 5, 2011 – 9:32 am

At Novia University of Applied Sciences new students have started working in the project Senior & Elderly life. Senior & Elderly Life is a multi-professional project within the Department for Nursing and Social Services at Novia UAS, where the project VIRTU is included. Social Service and Nurse students will during the incoming year write their theses, and some of them will write them in the project VIRTU. Here they are all gathered in the VIRTU channel studio at Nunnankatu in Turku.

From the left: standing supervising lecturer Marina Grunér, sitting Anette Ezeagbor, Wilhelm Svartström, Eeva Suominen, Anna Lindén, Anna Backman, supervising lecturer Henrica Lindholm and student Daniel Himmelroos

Written by Janina Sjöstrand, project assistant at Novia University of Applied Sciences

Successful Senior Fairs in Naantali Spa

November 8, 2011 – 8:33 am

Senior fairs in Naantali Spa 31th of October were a success. During the day over 130 guests visit in the fairs organized by the multiprofessional group of students of TUAS. The fair guest were mainly elderly people and their near relatives from the Naantali region. VIRTU excited intrested among the fair guest!

Project Manager Helinä Yli-Knuutila at VIRTU project’s stand in the senior fairs in Naantali Spa.

The fair guests had a change to participate in VIRTU channel activities.

In the fairs the guest were also able to have manicure and massages, try senior zumba and participate in lectures of different themes.

The fairs were opened by Member of Parliament Kike Elomaa. She also raffled the winners of the fair raffle.

Written by Heidi Tuominen (Turku University of Applied Sciences)

Studio visit at Novia University of Applied Sciences

November 3, 2011 – 9:29 am

Novia University of Applied Sciences had a studio visit by the Activating TV- project on the 31.10.2011. Activating TV is an ERDF and state funded project with similar objectives as the VIRTU-project, but it is realized in Vaasa. Novia University of Applied Sciences is involved in this project too.

Studiovisit by the project Activating-TV

During the visit in the studio project manager Bodil Julin initially presented the VIRTU-project for the participants. Ann-Maj Johansson, who works as a content expert in the VIRTU-project then presented the technology and what kind of activities Novia UAS has on the VIRTU-channel.

Project Manager Bodil Julin (to the right) beside Novia UAS's VIRTU-device

Ann-Maj then contacted one of the elderly participants and Maria Heinonen, the contact person in Kemiönsaari, on the VIRTU-channel to demonstrate for the participants how the device works in practice.

Content expert Ann-Maj Johansson (to the right) informing the participants about the technique

The Activating-TV then continued its round trip by visiting Turku University of Applied Sciences.

Written by project assistant Janina Sjöstrand (Novia University of Applied Sciences)

Theses in the VIRTU project was presented at Novia UAS

November 3, 2011 – 7:42 am

Students at Novia University of Applied Sciences presented their thesis at the final seminar of the project Senior and elderly life on the 2.11.2011. Two of these theses were written within the VIRTU-project. The seminar was well attended by students and staff at Novia UAS and by representatives from the field.

Sandra Gröndahl and Petra Westerlund opened the seminar

Sandra Gröndahl and Petra Westerlund began by presenting their work The importance of social support for the health of the elderly living at home. An interview guide developed within the VIRTU-project. The aim with the thesis was to ascertain whether social support on the VIRTU-channel can support elderly participants’ health. The goal was to develop an interview guide to be used by professionals and students in the field of social and health care for collecting data about the elderly participants’ experiences of what kind of support that can be given virtually and what impact social support has on the health of the elderly living at home.

Sofie Strandell and Mikaela Sjöström were next in line to present their thesis

The other pair of students presenting their thesis was Mikaela Sjöstrom and Sofie Strandell. Their projectified thesis is called: Inner strength in the elderly. Tools for virtual and traditional resource-strengthening home visits. The aim of this work was to describe how nurses can use the resource-strengthening approach in virtual and traditional home visits and resulted in two tools; a brochure and a poster.

A poster as one of the products of the thesis

Other theses presented were:
Fanny Ekholm: The nurse’s assessment of pain among elderly with dementia
Maria Blomqvist and Martina Mölsä: Access and needs of Swedish-speaking services in geriatric care

Written by project assistant Janina Sjöstrand (Novia University of Applied Sciences)

The VIRTU connections are now working in Eckerö

October 18, 2011 – 7:33 am

On the 25th of JulyVidera (the device provider) started to switch all the dysfunctional 3G connections to ADSL in all devices in Eckerö. In Eckerö they are now hoping that the change of system will make the technique work properly and according to the new project assistant Jenny Husell it looks promising.´“-Our first activities were resumed on the 13th of September and now we have two activities a week”, Jenny says.

: The Sea Eagles on VIRTU coffee at the nursing home

Eckerö wanted their participants in the group “Havsörnarna” (“The Sea Eagles”) to have a chance to meet in person, so they invited the elderly for coffee at the nursing home Solgården. According to Jenny it was a very successful event in many ways. “-In this way the participants had a chance to meet us, the workers in this project, and at the same time get informed about the project. The staff also showed the participants once more how the VIRTU-screen works.”

One of the participants has also been on field trips to the studio and has met with the nursing students. Eckerö have had several visits to the studio, both from other municipalities and by healthcare students.

Project Manager Inger Nygård (Åland University of Applied Science) having a participant from the VIRTU channel on visit

“-It has finally begun to function here in Eckerö and the activities have begun”, Jenny summarizes.

Written by project assistant Jenny Husell (Eckerö municipality and ÅUAS) and project assistant Janina Sjöstrand (Novia University of Applied Sciences)

VIRTU partner meeting in Vantaa 4.-5.10.2011

October 17, 2011 – 8:49 am

Intensive group work during the partner meeting in Vantaa

Visit at the VIRTU channel studio at Laurea University of Applied Sciences

The Virtu-project had a partner meeting on the 4.-5.10.2011 in Vantaa and Sipoo organized by Laurea University of Applied Sciences and Sipoo municipality. The first day started with project group meeting where the target was to discuss about project’s organization and how to develop it. The suggestion was that service models could develop more in local teams and we can share good practices in the whole project area with regularity. There was also discussion about documentation and evaluation of the project and how to insure that we can share all our project’s experiences – both good and bad – for those who are interested in the development work of virtual services.

In the afternoon Mika Arvola had short introduction to technology questions – we are working in archipelago area, where connections of internet are just under the progress. Our project can clarify the situation of internet connections at the project area and we can work to get better connections during the project. The meeting continued with group work in two different themes. One was for municipalities and the other was for the Universities of Applied Sciences. There was opportunity to share experiences and practices in these two groups.

After the group works we travelled to Sipoo. Helena Räsänen, the manager of elderly care in Sipoo, introduced us to especially elderly care services that are for people who had memory disorders in Sipoo. We had opportunity to visit a unit where elderly can live safely and how their individual customs and habits can be taken in account by the workers. The evening continued with a dinner in the service house Elsie where we have the opportunity to discuss together and hear live music during the dinner.

Helena Räsänen, the manager of elderly care in Sipoo, introducing the elderly care service unit in Sipoo

Next day we had a guest from University of Turku. Heikki Suhonen, a lecturer of social policy, who had a presentation about virtual services especially in the perspective of the elderly. The principal lecturer Harri Jalonen from Turku University of Applied Sciences continued with his research theme “Uncertainty in Adoption of Virtual Services”. The principal lecturer Regina Santamäki-Fischer then presented the first steps in Virtu-project research.

Project coordinator Heidi Tuominen from Turku University of Applied Sciences had collected the current situations in the different areas of the Virtu-project. Now all areas have started their virtual services, although there have been a lot of problems to make the internet connections to work. We can say that we are still in the stage that we can call “testing” because there are some local areas that are waiting for better internet connections.In the end of the day we have time to discuss about the action plan for the Virtu-project in local teams. We need concrete plans and wide vision on how to go on in the project to get better virtual services for elderly in archipelago areas in Estonia, Finland and Åland.

Written by Anne Eskelinen, Project manager of Virtu-project, Laurea University of Applied Sciences

The VIRTU channel is bringing joy to people in Saaremaa

September 21, 2011 – 6:05 am

The first devices have now finally been installed at the Saaremaa Island after a long waiting. It was most gladsome for two elderly girlfriends, who hadn´t seen each other for many years due to their limited mobility. They finally had the opportunity to meet face to face at the VIRTU channel! The elderly also like the possibilities that the VIRTU channel offers in getting new acquaints. It is very nice to talk to somebody and to fill the otherwise sometimes long and tedious days, with interesting discussions.

In the nearest future the pioneering workers of Kuressaare Day Care Centre are planning to also start interactive group activities, for example gymnastics, memory games etc on the VIRTU channel. There will also be meetings with doctors and other specialist in medicine offered to the elderly.

The first eight devices are installed in the homes of the elderly, mostly in the town of Kuressaare and one elderly lives in Kärla municipality. We hope that we as soon as possible can connect more elderly people from the areas in the country side to the VIRTU network – some technical details are still open and calculations needs to be done.

Written by Anneli Rasu, Project manager at Saaremaa Business Development Foundation

Autumn News from Laurea

September 16, 2011 – 7:15 am

The new autumn term is here, and three new students have started working for the VIRTU-project in Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Tikkurila unit. Maris, who worked in the VIRTU-project as an assistant in the summer, has moved on to new challenges in her career. We are:

Elina Santanen

I am a 2^nd year socionom-student from Laurea, Tikkurila and I joined the project to accomplish my advanced studies in working with the aged. I wish to work with the aged in the future, and this VIRTU-project gives me a possibility to work with senior citizens. Working in projects is a new challenge for me, and I am looking forward to it.

Susan Neffling

I am also a 2^nd year socionom-student, and I am 21 years old. I joined this project to accomplish my advanced studies in working with the aged. This is chance for me to accomplish my studies in a different way from the normal studies, and I think this is a great opportunity to learn. I am looking forward to see what the future brings!

Katja Lahtinen

I am a mature student studying health care in Laurea, Porvoo. I chose my advanced studies in geriatrics, and I will graduate in the spring 2012. I became enthusiastic about the VIRTU-project in the beginning of the summer, when new students were sought to work for the project. I have worked in elderly care for a long period of time, e.g. sheltered homes, nursing homes. At the moment I am working in a department for the mentally ill. See you on the VIRTU Channel!

So far we have accomplished five activities. The subjects for our activities have been guizzes, a crossword and healthy nutrition. During the autumn term we will have activities about traveling around the world, quizzes, information about health and exercise at home, to name a few. We hope to see you on the channel and hope you have a good time!

Students from left: Susan Neffling, Katja Lahtinen ja Elina Santanen

News from Hiiumaa

August 18, 2011 – 2:46 pm

The clients on Hiiumaa are excited and ready to use VIRTU channel.

The users and employees have had common meetings in Hiiumaa and it has been a pleasant experience for the both side to meet and get to know each other. There has been a great interest toward the VIRTU channel and people are ready to share their thoughts and ideas in developing the channel.

People got acquainted with the web site of VIRTU, from where they got a slight idea of the client device – How does it look like, and they were also able to read news what is going on in other project areas. It is also positive that elderly people who were chosen to involve in the project are active computer users and open for new challenges.

Mare and Eha are waiting for the VIRTU channel to start up also in Estonia.

Written by Helis Roosimaa / Foundation Tuuru

New Participants on Åland

August 2, 2011 – 12:54 pm

Municipalities of Brändö (www.brando.ax) and Sottunga (www.sottunga.ax) are by now new users of the VIRTU channel on Åland. The municipalities are very small and located in the archipelago between Åland and Finland.

Both municipalities are maintaining service for elderly. On Brändö the elderly care home Solkulla is the center for almost all the service. On Solkulla, there are rooms where elderly can live. There are also apartments for elderly in a building nearby. In Solkulla, you can find staff day and night. During the daytime the healthcare is also located in the same building. However, a lot of elderly wants to stay at home as long as possible, and Brändö offers service for elderly also in their homes.

There is no elderly care center In Sottunga. The municipality is organizing service for elderly in their own homes. They can also get healthcare during the daytime.

Important for both municipalities is the well-operating boat traffic. For example in Brändö, there are ferries between the main Island and smaller islands as Lappo, Asterholma and Jurmo. A visit to the medical care offered on the mainland of Åland means a whole day trip. Therefore it is very important for the municipalities to have healthcare on the islands and that helicopter flight is available if someone gets badly ill.

Our aim is that the VIRTU channel will be a really good complement to existing service and provides more safety for both elderly and professionals.

Helipad on Sottunga

Summer in Skage, Sottunga

Waiting for the ferry is something that a lot of people in the archipelago are doing daily.

Written by Inger Nygård, Project Manager at Åland University of Applied Sciences

Tour de Naantali

July 29, 2011 – 1:08 pm

During the Midsummer week VIRTU workers from Turku University of Applied Sciences visited all the clients in Naantali and advised them individually in how to use the VIRTU channel and the device. The team met a lot of great personalities and enjoyed the amazing finnish archipelago during those three days. There will be a new client tour in August because of the new users and installations of devices!

A ferry form Velkua to Lailuoto

Mikko is eager to meet clients "face to face"

Viljo, an active user of VIRTU channel, talks with another user Sirkka

Archipelago views

Written by Mikko Tång, Summer worker at TUAS

Summertime broadcasts have gone well

July 26, 2011 – 10:35 am

During the summer VIRTU activities from Turku University of Applied Sciences have gone well! Lots of fun quiz-shows and casual conversations have been taken place. The activities from the home care sector in Naantali have been more activity-related. Altough there have been some technical problems, the users are becoming more familiar with VIRTU technology day by day. There will be lots of new users joining the VIRTU-channel in August , this time from Naantali! More information about that later. Greetings and let’s hope the warm summer days will continue!

Written by Mikko Tång, Summer Worker at TUAS

Partner meeting at Saaremaa!

July 1, 2011 – 11:29 am

Saaremaa partner meeting of the VIRTU project took place on 14th and 15th of June at Saaremaa, Estonia. The event was organized by Tiia Tammsalu from Kuressaare Hoolekanne and Anneli Rasu from Saaremaa Development Centre. Though most of the partners see each other rather often at the videoconference meetings, it was a pleasure to meet everyone face to face.

VIRTU project partners

At the first day partners had a group work in style of a world cafe to discuss the general objectives of the project. Later the presentation of external valuators was complementing the previous theme nicely. In addition, the steering group of the project gathered at the first meeting day. We also had possibility to share experiences and thoughts of virtual services over the video bridge with the Korean participators of Active Innovations Net’s seminar in Vantaa, Finland.

For the introduction of Estonian social care possibilities, partners visited the day care centre of Kuressaare town and the nursing home and the freshly renovated nursing treatment department at Kuressaare hospital.

Second day’s meeting was held at the heritage culture centre at Angla Windmill Park. At the first the lead partner updated the current financial issues. After that the delegates of the local municipalities had a chance to represent themselves and their everyday work. The head of the Lümanda municipality, Jaanika Vakker, appeared as the spokesperson.

VIRTU group work

We also shared positive experiences about the virtual care services among all partners. Because of the situation in Estonia, where there are yet no services running, it was interesting for Estonians to hear, which services are popular, how the elderly has experienced the service and which faults could be avoided when implementing the services in Estonia. A video meeting with the device provider took place in the afternoon. Later we visited the Pärsama nursing home. This institution was exemplary example of good organized and exquisite nursing homes in Estonia.

Partner meetings are the best way to exchange international experiences. For the conclusion, the meeting at Saaremaa was successful and fulfilled it’s objectives.

Written by Anneli Rasu, Project manager at Saaremaa Business Development Foundation

The VIRTU channel has started up in Naantali

June 14, 2011 – 9:32 am

Students hosting the first VIRTU broadcast

Students hosting the first VIRTU program

The very first VIRTU program of Turku University of Applied Sciences was held with the elderly in Naantali municipality on the 12th of May. Everyone left the VIRTU channel in a good mood and is eagerly waiting for more to come.

During the first month the focus is on getting to know each other and on learning how to use both the device and the service. During summer there will be two broadcasts per week coordinated by social services student Mikko Tång.

Mikko

The first activities at the VIRTU channel!

May 10, 2011 – 5:07 am

Novia University of Applied Sciences has now had the opportunity to start the activities at the VIRTU channel with their elderly participants since the installation of the technical device was done in Länsi-Turunmaa.

During these first activities, the participants get to know each other and practice using the technical device, since it is new for both the elderly and the project workers at Novia and for the personnel in the municipality.

The VIRTU channel has aroused a lot of interest and one of the elderly participants invited her neighbor to come and witness the activity at the VIRTU channel.

The students will start their activities at the VIRTU channel next week (week 19) and the activities will for example include exercise from the old days and the present day.

Virtu_first_meetings_with_clients_5.5.2011

Senior lecturer Marina Grunér is discussing with the participants at the VIRTU channel

Written by Janina Sjöstrand, project assistant at Novia University of Applied Sciences

The installations are completed in Länsi-Turunmaa

May 9, 2011 – 5:28 am

The installation of the technical devices in the VIRTU project started in the homes of the participants in Länsi-Turunmaa on the 26^th of April. Elderly care leader Riitta Laivo, who coordinates the project activities in Länsi-Turunmaa participated in the planning and in carrying out the installations.

The installer, Pentti Kankaristo, is familiar with the conditions in the archipelago and is accustomed to taking the ferry to the islands, where the new participants live.

The installation proceeded smoothly. The first device was installed in the participants Doris´ and Eric´s home, later on the same day even in participant Mildred´s home.

“I have already decided where it should be placed” said a smiling Mildred to the installer when he arrived.

The elderly participants valued that they received individual supervision in using the device in their native language by the installer. The new technical device was perceived easy to use. When the connection was tested, everything worked well.

Later that week, the technical device was installed at the home of Dora and also in Runa´s house who live on different islands. Even now the connection and the technique worked very well when tested.

The new participants say they look forward to future activities at the VIRTU channel.

: The intsaller is advising one of the participants in using the device

Written by Riitta Laivo, elderly care leader in Länsi-Turunmaa

Greetings from Laurea

May 2, 2011 – 11:50 am

Workshops in the VIRTU project

There is a lot of co-operation between the Universities of Applied Sciences and their neighboring municipalities. Laurea and the municipality of Sipoo form a natural pair since the municipalities Vantaa and Sipoo are neighbors to each other. They have shared ideas how the project could serve the elderly people in the best way and how the virtual services could be used as a part of the home care. Laurea and Sipoo have arranged two workshops for the workers in the home care service in Söderkulla during the spring, where the content, possibilities and challenges of the home care work have been discussed.

Workshop in Söderkulla 24th of March 2011

Söderkulla home care workers, users of VIRTU channel and Laurea met together

On the 5th of April 2011 there was a common event for the Virtu channel users in Söderkulla, who will be the first participants from Sipoo. We talked about installations, programs, services and timetables of the project and we collected the user´s wishes concerning the programs. Student assistant Maris Palu spoke about previous welfare technology project’s programs and users experiences. This presentation got positive feedback from the users. Senior lecturer Ari Heikkinen introduced the research in the VIRTU project, which is very important part of the development work.

Student assistants are helping in testing and making programs

Four senior lecturers – Anne Eskelinen, Ari Heikkinen, Leena Pekkonen and Carita Saarikivi – are taking part in the VIRTU project at Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Vantaa, the Tikkurila unit. The senior lecturers participate in the development work of the project in different teams and are also supervising students.

At Laurea the two student assistants Maris Palu and Mirka Pippuri are helping in testing and making programs in the beginning of the project. The student assistants are also responsible for the studio and they are updating programs at the VIRTU channel. Mirka has done a part of her work placement in the VIRTU project and previously in the CaringTV project and she has also taken part in the workshops of Söderkulla home care. Mirka is doing her thesis collecting the experiences of home care workers in the beginning of the VIRTU project. Maris has taken part in Laurea’s CaringTV activities for a year. She has done all kinds of programs for the elderly people and has there for a lot of experiences from these kinds of action. More students will take part in the VIRTU project in the autumn and make programs and take part of the development work.

Members of Laurea VIRTU team: From left side senior lecturers Ari Heikkinen, Leena Pekkonen, Carita Saarikivi and student assistant Mirka Pippuri.

Written by Anne Eskelinen, Lecture at Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Vantaa

A new Virtu-project worker at TUAS

April 26, 2011 – 9:32 am

Financial Secretary Marlene Karlsson from Turku University of Applied Sciences started a maternity leave 28th of March and Milla Roininen was chosen to continue at Marlene’s position in the VIRTU-project.

Marlene left her work with an enthusiastic mood: “This is my first maternity leave. There are big changes expected in a near future both in my life and in the VIRTU-project when the devices will be installed and the users will be able to participate in the interactive VIRTU channel. I have got a chance to follow the project over half a year and I will of course follow it in the future also – though now changing diapers at the same time!

Milla has jumped into the project quickly. “First weeks have been full of intensive studying of new things. Fortunately, colleagues have advised with a number of practical issues”, Milla tells. “And as Marlene already mentioned, there are a lot of things happening in the project right now – so I look forward to programs to begin!

Marlene left her work happily to Milla. “She has a right attitude and the courage to take action – these features are needed when working with projects”, Marlene adds.

VIRTU's Financial Secretaries Marlene and Milla

Written by Terhi Hytönen, Communication Coordinator at Turku University of Applied Sciences

Spring news from the town of Naantali

April 11, 2011 – 6:51 am

A meeting with full of ideas

The info event of the VIRTU channel was held in Naantali City Hall 18th of January. There were about 20 home care professionals participating in the event. Participants had a lot of different ideas for the content of the VIRTU channel, for instance, daily exercises, news paper reading sessions, sing-along sessions, question times about medical issues, daily food tips and ideas for a meal, handicraft club, worships and other activities from the church.

Programs are under work

A group of students from Turku University of Applied Sciences has started a project which aims to develop the content of the VIRTU channel in Naantali. They collect ideas about different themes, contents of programs and wishes from the clients. Also some voluntary organisations and the chuch have been interested in producing programs for the VIRTU channel.

Different client groups

Currently 16 elderly living at home will participate in the project in Naantali. Family care givers and elderly people living alone have been in the first place when choosing the clients. They come from all over the archipelago area of Naantali – from Merimasku, Rymättylä and Velkua. A few devices will be also installed to the home care departments and Naantali will test the device as a tool for rehabilitation when a client will go back home after a period of a rehabilitation.

Written by Tiina Rinne-Kylänpää, Saaristoasiamies at Naantali

Signs of spring in Länsi-Turunmaa

March 25, 2011 – 12:24 pm

Spring is coming to our beautiful Länsi-Turunmaa, the first migratory birds have arrived and the sea eagles are dancing their spring dance on the constantly weakening ice.

Informal ice roads have made the passage to the archipelago more accessible this winter and have made the communication easier. Often, however, part of the archipelago’s population may be “prisoners of the island” for several weeks during the winter due to spring thaw.
The idea that the image and voice contact with the inhabitants on distant islands would be possible throughout the year makes the VIRTU channel such a welcome tool, especially in improving the quality of elderly care.

The first VIRTU channel users in Länsi-Turunmaa

Throughout the project we will have four VIRTU-channel devices (possibly more later) that will be located in elderly people´s homes that have the most burdensome connections to other islands and the mainland. The users are all over 85 years of age.
The upcoming VIRTU channel users will receive daily contacts with the personnel in the home care and will have virtual contact with their doctor. They will also have the opportunity to participate in worships, take part of programs offered by Novia University of Applied Sciences and other “customized” program.
Our doctor Nina Alopaeus, who also was engaged in the Skärgårds-Elli project (including picture phones), is now eagerly planning her own share in the VIRTU-project. Elderly people in the islands are often “sensitive” to travel a long way to see the doctor, even though the matter would require it. The virtual contact with the doctor would to give certainty in when to go to travel to the reception and when it isn´t necessary.

The customers using the virtual channel receives an ordinary-looking television to their homes, to which all necessary equipment is installed. To the project´s customers the device and maintenance of the equipment are completely free of charge. The customer always decides him/herself if they are willing to participate and “be online” or not.

We are now eagerly awaiting the first installations and the beautiful archipelago spring!

One of our clients pictured with her father in their own yard on the island, where she was born 85 years ago and where she is still living with her cat Saku.

Written by Riitta Laivo, Elderly Care Leader at Länsi-Turunmaa

Good news from Sipoo

March 24, 2011 – 11:47 am

We now have managed to find users to the VIRTU channel from the archipelago in Sipoo! We have noticed that it takes a lot of time in the municipality to start a new way of working virtually. Still we are happy to be a part of this innovative way of providing service for elderly people.

The installation of the devices might be challenging because of the extreme weather conditions we have had in Finland this winter 2011. The ice is very strong and thick in the archipelago where the users live and it might take longer than normally for the ice to melt this year. Installing and helping in the beginning of use possibly requires multiple visits to clients. We hope that the co-operation will go well between the equipment suppliers and us all!

Written by Paula Perälä, Home Care Leader at Sipoo

Workshop on Åland

March 9, 2011 – 8:17 am

Project workers developing the service on Åland

Producing programs for the VIRTU channel is a complete new activity for us on Åland. We decided therefore to invite Bodil Julin from Novia University of Applied Sciences to a workshop. Bodil shared her and Novias experiences with us. During the day we discussed a lot of issues, from choosing clients to quality control of the programs. The most important result however is the structure for VIRTU channel on Åland. We decided to divide the sendings in 3 different groups:

1. Programs that are specific planned for the channel, for example students programs but also point to point contact between user and for example nurse.

2. Activities that are arranged in the elderly care institutions. VIRTU channel provides an opportunity for elderly living at home to take part in the activities.

3. Free intercourse when people are in interactive contact without any planned activity or program

The cumulate knowledge in the project is of great value to us. Thanks to Bodil for a great day!

Project Manager Bodil Julin from Novia UAS

Written by Inger Nygård, Project Manager at Åland University of Applied Sciences

Ice roads in the archipelago

March 8, 2011 – 8:26 am

This winter has been really cold and the sea is covered with thick ice. The ferries in the Åland archipelago has problems breaking the ice and the traffic is therefore limited.

But ice is not only a problem, local people maintain ice roads between the islands. Today it is only wind and weather that set time for when you can visit mainland or some of the other islands. Communication between the islands is actually faster and more active.

Travelling with sleeddogs, as in the picture, is not common, of course people usually travel by car. Notice that it is very important to drive slow and carefully, high speeds can break the ice!

: Ice road between Torsholma, Asterholma and Kumlinge, 23.2 2011

Written by Inger Nygård, Project Manager at Åland University of Applied Sciences

The first interactive programs are ready at Novia!

February 11, 2011 – 7:59 pm

The interactive broadcasts for the VIRTU channel, which promotes the health and the well being of elderly, are now finished. Students from the Degree Programme in Nursing at Novia University of Applied Sciences are now waiting eagerly to start realizing them together with the elderly living at home in Väståboland and Kimitoön.

Students have practiced their broadcasts. Issues dealt with are for example sleeping problems, appetite, memory and self-care. They have also planned social, cultural and spiritual programs. The students have also prepared an exercise program. These programs are carried out through balance training and sitting gymnastics, dance and exercise through everyday activities.

The interactive programs have been developed by third-year students in workshops supervised by lecturers. Students will implement their programs in couple and the length of the programs is 30-45 minutes depending on the interaction with the elderly and the number of participants.

: The students Pernilla Björk and Ann-Louise Witting are having fun whilst planning the programs.

Written by Janina Sjöstrand, Project Assistant at Novia University of Applied Sciences

VIRTU on Stage at TUAS’s RDI-event

February 11, 2011 – 7:54 pm

VIRTU was visibly present at the Research, Development and Innovation-event organized by Turku University of Applied Sciences on 9th February 2011. Project coordinator Katariina Felixson gave a presentation about the project for approximately 50 students and staff members.

In addition, VIRTU had a stand in the event, in which the content coordinator Anu Impponen gave more information about the project for the interested participants. At the stand it was also possible to discuss various ways to cooperate with VIRTU. Since the cooperation possibilities raised a lot of interest among participants, fruitful collaboration is foreseen in future.

: The content coordinator Anu Impponen sharing information about VIRTU at RDI event.

Written by Katariina Felixson, Project Coordinator at Turku University of Applied Sciences

Estonia is eagerly waiting for devices

February 11, 2011 – 7:49 pm

The Saaremaa Island is preparing to get the first devices. In the Kuressaare town and in the municipalities of Leisi, Kärla and Orissaare the firts clients have already been chosen for the interactive programs at the VIRTU channel. There are also persons in a waiting list. In other participating municipalities of Saaremaa the client selection is going on.

Written by Anneli Rasu, Consultant at Saaremaa Arenduskeskus

Project work is going on

February 11, 2011 – 7:45 pm

The work groups in the VIRTU project are fulfilling their tasks – continuous coordination work is going on between project partners. The research workgroup has prepared first questionnaire. The service model team is gathering ideas, making suggestions about the content of the service. Overall preparation of providing service programs is in the air. The web page you are currently reading is the result of the communication team action!

Written by Anneli Rasu, Consultant at Saaremaa Arenduskeskus

Elvi	Runa
Anne-Maija	Ann

Elvi

Runa

Anne-Maija

Ann

Workshops in the VIRTU project

Söderkulla home care workers, users of VIRTU channel and Laurea met together

Student assistants are helping in testing and making programs

A meeting with full of ideas

Programs are under work

Different client groups

The first VIRTU channel users in Länsi-Turunmaa