The project has been described in newspaper articles, and radio- and tv-channels have made interviews with VIRTU-channel users both in Finland and in Estonia.

Under the heading Virtu in media on our homepage you can find all the articles.

We also got proposals for new fields of use for example the rescue services might benefit from the technology used in the VIRTU-project.

Anu Kuikkaniemi from Turku University of Applied Sciences representing Virtu at the fairs

Written by project coordinator Marion Karppi at Turku University of Applied Sciences

On the 11^th of April the fire chief was for example invited to inform the elderly about fire safety at home. The pharmacy Nya Apoteket on Åland have also started to offer an hour each week when the Virtu-users can contact them through the Virtu-device for consultation.

In February the students at Åland University of Applied Sciences had a memory game with the elderly

Chair gymnastics on the VIRTU-channel

Nursing students having an activity about acute illnesses

Jenny Husell, who works partly for the University and partly for the municipality of Eckerö, is very busy coordinating the activities, since she also herself keeps activities now and then. “- You need to be creative and try to figure out together with the elderly what would interest and benefit them”, Jenny says. Once a month she sends the VIRTU-channel participants a letter with the scheduled activities so that they now what the topics are.

The fire chief in the studio at Åland University of Applied Sciences

The fire chief informing about fire safety at home

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

Since the beginning of February when content coordinator Kaie Saar started working at Kuressaare Day Care Centre, the group activities have increased and become more complete. In addition to physical excercises that are offered twice a week and memory games once every second week, we have also panel discussions on current topics, visits of interesting quests and activities carried out by students of social care curriculums from Kuressaare Training Centre (it is vocational school).

For Easter there was a panel discussion held by the teacher of the lutherian church and by an orthodox priest. Another example of programs was when we broadcasted the spring concert at Kuressaare Day Care Centre that filled the virtual room with listeners and watchers.

The development of the group activities is carried out according to the the wishes of the participants. Once a month the clients are asked which topics would interest them and which persons they would like to meet on the VIRTU-channel. Listening to the clients wishes is of big importance when providing virtual welfare, to ensure the continuing interest of the participants.

More and more clients

Since the beginning of the year 2012 we have also progressed in installing new devices. At Hiiumaa island there are 3 devices installed, at Saaremaa we have about 10 additional devices. For some municipalities we have ordered pc-clients, because special user interface is actually needed for people who are not personal computer users.

During the spring and summer we intend to actively promote virtual service for local governments to install the final number of devices. Despite the cautionary experience of Finland using mobile connections for VIRTU devices, we have now been installed a couple of first devices, which has successfully used the 3G connections.

Increasing interest for the project activities

VIRTU as a pilot project providing virtual services is earning increasing interest in Estonia, which is why we have received several invitations to demonstrate the project. In the beginning of April, we presented the Virtu- project  for the Interreg IVA project Innocare at a collaboration seminar in Latvia. The project will give the findings and facts from surveys carried out , which are the basis for the continued development of services at the national level but also for business community. Hiiumaa Tuuru SA has prepared questionnaires for the service model study, and the parties are systematically investigated.

The latest news is Estonians joining the common virtual space, which enables the international joint broadcasting and participating. There are now new yellow button on the home page of VIRTU client interface.

Virtual Estonian partners have the continuing interest in developing the best virtual services. This way, after all,we create a better future for ourselves!

The news was written by project manager Anneli Rasu and content coordinator Kaie Saar

The municipal manager of Sipoo together with VIRTU-channel users

Content coordinator Ida-Lotta Lind informed about what is going on on the VIRTU-channel and Helena Räsänen, the manager of elderly care services, envisaged the future of the VIRTU-channel. The municipal director Mikael Grannas said that this kind of virtual services are an important part of the services in the archipelago area. The users of VIRTU-channel said that they have been very satisfied with the activities on the VIRTU-channel and they hope that this service will continue in Sipoo after the VIRTU-project has ended (April 2013).

Some of the female VIRTU-channel users met up at the service center

VIRTU-channel users meeting each other face-to-face

The occupational therapy students at Turku University of Applied Science (TUAS) interviewed the VIRTU-channel users in topic related matters. The interviews were done by using the VIRTU-channel. The students created a photography exhibition based up on the issues discussed in the interviews.

You can visit the exhibition in the TUAS main lobby at Ruiskatu in Turku until the end of May 2012. Here are some nice examples:

Every day conceals a new, hidden possibility. Do not lose it.

Seven kilometers of rug. “Everything eagers to do.”

The article was written by Marion Karppi, project coordinator at Turku University of Applied Sciences

Participating is free of charge, but requires registration.

You find the program (in Finnish) here: VIRTU seminaarikutsu14.5.2012

“-The hour of devotion really sheered up the feeling today” said one of the users. Anna and Minna thought the VIRTU channel was a good way to do spiritual work and they promised to have a program also at upcoming religious holidays.

The news was written by Marion Karppi, project coordinator at Turku University of Applied Science

The “Yellow Button” gathers the users online from all the municipalities participating in the project in Finland. The contents of the activities vary from physical activities to leisure and more detailed health issues.

The project partners take responsibility of leading the activities in turns; in March Turku University of Applied Science has been in charge of the Finnish programs and in April Laurea University of Applied Sciences takes the stage.

The responsibility for leading the Swedish activities is divided by Novia University of Applied Sciences, Åland University of Applied Sciences and municipality of Sipoo. There have been many participants each Monday, which shows that the “Yellow Button” was a welcome new form of service.

The purpose is to collect the VIRTU-channel users closer to each other and give a possibility to share experiences and thoughts. The”Yellow Button” is also available for the personnel working with elderly care in the municipalities. The idea is to share ideas and learn from each other. The “Yellow Button” could work also as a channel to spread the good practices developed in the municipalities.

The news was written by Marion Karppi, project coordinator at Turku University of Applied Sciences

On the 7^th of March 2012 senior lecturer Annette Häggblom from the Åland University of Applied Sciences had a lecture on “Change Ladder” and a total of 24 employees from the various municipalities participated; 3 employees from Fridhem in Houtskari, 7 employees from the home care in Parainen, 6 employees from Solkulla at Brändö and 8 employees from Solgården in Eckerö.

Project assistant Jenny Husell (to the left) assisting senior lecturer Annette Häggblom during the lecture

Staff from different municipalities participating in the further education session on the VIRTU-channel

The next lecture is already set and will be held by Regina Santamäki-Fischer on Wednesday the 11^th of April at 13-13.45. The theme will be: “DEMENTIA; to meet the demented person” and all staff is welcome to participate! The lecture will take place in the virtual room called VIRTU.

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