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Virtual Elderly Care Services on the Baltic Islands (VIRTU)
Start date: Apr 30, 2010, End date: Mar 31, 2013 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The Baltic Islands are facing many challenges on the social, political and economical level. The social and health care sector is strongly influenced by the demographic changes, struggling with the challenge of ensuring equal services for rural and urban areas with limited budgetary conditions. The ageing population, long distances and the possible lack of qualified work force are common challenges on the area. To answer these problems, new forms of social and health care services are needed. Concrete actions in elderly care field are crucial in order to guarantee the quality and attainability of the services also in the future. From the elderly point of view improving the standard of living and supporting the healthy, safe, and socially rich living at home instead of hospitalization. Innovative approach of the VIRTU-project aims to create a new service model based on virtual technologies which would benefit the elderly people, their relatives, municipalities and health and social care professionals on the Baltic archipelago. Current and future (i.e. students) professionals are encouraged to take advantage of the technological innovations as a part of their daily work. Project connects actors from public, private and third sectors in order to answer the current challenges in elderly care. The wide-ranging possibilities of technological applications improve the cost-effectiveness of services and create new business opportunities in the archipelago. Several technological applications can be tested with international partners and the discovered good practices can be easily exchanged. The intention is to test, develop, research and disseminate new virtual elderly care services based on diverse technological applications. The form and level of services are designed to meet the needs of elderly and of those who work with them. Project aims to attaching the new service model to current health and social services provided by municipalities. The project's objectives are: 1) Develop qualitative and cost-effective virtual service model in the field of social- and health care services on the archipelago areas. 2) Support elderly inhabitants coping at home. Increase the quality of life through social interaction and to promote safety living at home. 3) Support and engage professionals working in the social and health care services to take advantage of the technological innovations as a part of their daily work. 4) Exploit the cross-border cooperation in developing joint solutions to common problems in the field of social- and health care services on archipelago areas 5) Support the service models development to profitable and transportable business concept. Project will include following work packages: WP1) Administration and coordination, WP2) Research, WP3) Technological testing, WP4) Testing, development and dissemination of the service model WP5) Communication and publicity Achievements: The project VIRTU aimed to improve the standard of living of elderly people by supporting healthy, safe and socially rich living at home instead of institutionalisation. Based on virtual technologies, VIRTU has created a new service model which will benefit senior citizens, their relatives, municipalities and health and social care professionals in the archipelago. The project provides virtual services to elderly people in close cooperation with the participating municipalities. By researching the content of the service model and the usability and adaptability of the virtual services as well as the experiences of seniors and employees, the project was able to determine the cost-effectiveness and productivity of the services.

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  • 76.1%   1 661 085,00
  • 2007 - 2013 Central Baltic (FI-SE-EE-LA)
  • Project on KEEP Platform
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