Clients can decide themselves who is allowed to make calls through the family subscription service. More information about the service and how to sign up is available from home care workers.
“Many older people experience loneliness. In home care, we want to offer ways to stay in touch with friends and loved ones. Video calls make it possible for them to be part of the client’s everyday life, even from afar,” says Home Care Manager Suvi Kan.
The care provided through the telemedicine device always comes first, and video calls will not disrupt it.
“A call from remote health care will always interrupt any ongoing calls with loved ones,” Suvi Kan adds.
No additional costs for clients
“Friends and family members receive login credentials for an app they can download to their phone to make video calls to the client’s telemedicine device,” explains Anne-Maria Siitonen, Service Manager at Palvelukeskus Helsinki.
Clients can grant access to up to five friends or family members. The login credentials are for personal use only and require a valid email address.
“If a client wants to try the service, they can ask their home care worker for more information,” Kan adds.
Roots in the COVID-19 pandemic
The family subscription is not an entirely new concept, as remote calling was first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The family subscription allows for more human connection in the client’s everyday life. Clients and their loved ones appreciated the opportunity during the pandemic and found the service easy to use. Encouraged by these experiences, we now want to make it a permanent feature,” says Planner Ville Ventovuori.
Telemedicine devices are widely used in home care
Around a thousand home care clients in Helsinki currently use telemedicine devices. Care providers use them to guide medication intake, monitor eating habits and check clients’ general wellbeing, among other things. Helsinki has been using remote health care for more than ten years. Palvelukeskus Helsinki is responsible for providing the equipment and the remote service.
Helsinki’s home care services have approximately 5,400 clients in total and make more than three million visits each year, both in person and remotely.