Partially work-capable healthcare professionals support older adults in everyday life: Arcada behind award-winning innovation

The award was presented by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health at the gala of the national innovation competition The Future of Care Work, held in Helsinki on 17 September. Pictured are Ira Jeglinsky-Kankainen, principal lecturer in rehabilitation at Arcada, and Satu Niskanen, TOTY project manager, Rehabilitation Foundation. Photo by Emmi Nääppä, Rehabilitation Foundation.   

Dual benefits for society 

Reablement is a person-centred approach that helps older adults regain or strengthen their ability to manage activities that are important in their daily lives. Goals may include independently preparing meals, shopping, meeting family and friends, or participating in leisure activities. 

In the TOTY model, reablement services are delivered by qualified social and healthcare professionals who have partial work ability and can therefore no longer perform traditional care duties that are physically or mentally demanding. This approach enables them to continue their professional careers while ensuring that their expertise remains available within elder care services. 

“Reablement creates two opportunities simultaneously: it strengthens the functional ability of older adults and enables care professionals to continue their careers. This award confirms that the time is now right to implement reablement on a larger scale,” says TOTY project manager Satu Niskanen, from the Rehabilitation Foundation. 

Arcada contributes education and development expertise 

Arcada is implementing the project together with the Rehabilitation Foundation and Lentävä Liitutaulu Oy. For Arcada and the project researchers Annikki Arola, principal lecturer in occupational therapy, and Ira Jeglinsky-Kankainen, principal lecturer in rehabilitation, the focus is on contributing education and development expertise in person-centred reablement, work ability, and welfare technology. 

A key element of the development work is the design and evaluation of new operating models that wellbeing services counties across Finland can use to improve access to skilled professionals while simultaneously supporting older adults’ ability to continue living independently at home. 

During the autumn, closer collaboration will begin between the The Future of Care Work researchers and the award-winning innovations. 

The TOTY project in brief 

The project is carried out in cooperation with the Rehabilitation Foundation and Lentävä Liitutaulu Oy. It focuses on reablement for older adults and on developing new roles within social and healthcare services that are less physically and psychologically demanding. Arcada’s role in the project is primarily to contribute education and development in the fields of rehabilitation and wellbeing. The development work is co-funded by the European Union. 

Contact information

Annikki Arola 
Project coordinator, Functional ability for older adults – Work ability for staff (TOTY) 
annikki.arola@arcada.fi 
+358 29 428 2822 

Satu Niskanen 
Project Manager, Functional ability for older adults – Work ability for staff (TOTY) 
Rehabilitation Foundation 
satu.niskanen@kuntoutussaatio.fi 
+358 44 781 3176