MAIN OUTCOMES OF THE VIRTU PROJECT

VIRTU – VIRTUAL ELDERLY CARE SERVICES ON THE BALTIC ISLANDS

• Objective was to develop a sustainable service model to support elderly living at home

• Budget appr. 2,2 million €

• Funded by Central Baltic Interreg IV A –program

• Partners

• Leaded by Turku University of Applied Science

• Partners: Novia UAS, Laurea UAS, Åland UAS, Kuressaare Hoolekanne, Saaremaa Development Center and Foundation Tuuru, Municipalities of Naantali, Sipoo and Eckerö

• Additional municipality partners are Parainen, Kemiönsaari, Hammarland, Jomala, Brandö, Leisi, Kaarma, Karla, Lymanda, Orissaare, Ruhnu and Kärdla

TESTING INTERACTIVE DISTANCE SERVICES

• Interactive system in which the participants are able to hear and see each other in real time

• The device is easy to use, touch screen functioning, also PC connections available

• During the project:

• 125 devices

• 1800 interactive programs

ACTIVITIES - Promoting health and well-being

• Group activities

• By different experts from municipalities and UASs• Exercises like chair gymnastics, discussions, singing

sessions, memory games, etc.

• Individual activities

• From service homes• Doctor appointments, home care visits,

physiotherapy, welfare work by parish, etc.

• User’s own ”coffee breaks”

• User can contact each other when online and relatives can contact the users

• Further education for professionals, team meetings

PROJECT OUTCOMES

1. Model for interactive distance services

2. Users experiences

3. New tool for municipalities

4. Learning environment for students

5. The cost comparison of the service

5

1. MODEL FOR INTERACTIVE DISTANCE SERVICES

2. EXPERIENCES OF THE USERS

” …when you are alone, you think, the minutes pass so slowly, well, I’ll have a call to VIRTU friend…. This has become like a friend, too. ”

” This has made me happy… like misery has dissappeared”

” This VIRTU has changed my life so completely. I’ve got so many new friends and we call each other every day.”

” This is the best invention ever, this device”

3. NEW TOOL FOR MUNICIPALITIES

• The recognition of the importance of interactive distance services in supporting elderly’s living at home

All the municipalities continue after the project

• Other ways to utilize the device, f. ex. ward meetings in the channel

• Importance of local coordinator

4. STUDENTS’ LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

• Inventive and innovative learning environment

• Learning distance guidance

• Learning professional commucination

• Positive attitude towards technology in elderly services

• The attractiveness of elderly care services

5. THE COSTS COMPARISON OF THE SERVICE

• The cost effectiveness of the service is not yet proven

• Some evaluation has been made

a) comparison of the different services of old person living at home

• see more Koivumäki & Nygård in VIRTU-publication

b) comparison of the costs in

telerehabilitation versus

conventional physiotherapy

in house calls•see more Karppi in VIRTU-publication

CONCLUSION

VIRTU-channel is a potential way to deliver preventive services to support health and well-being of the elderly living far away from service centers