A link: a wrap-up of projects in School of Social Innovation

Aalto Social Impact published on its website a very nice wrap-up of the projects in School of Social Innovation, where the project of SofiaWeCare started. Here' s the link and what it says about our project:

First up was Riitta, presenting Sofia, we care, a retirement home project she worked on with her teammates Duong, Hanna, and Yan in partnership with Tiina, the “devoted director” of the Sofia elderly care home. The problem was how to address the loneliness and isolation often felt by the elderly. Along the way, through a creative discovery process, the team learned that there are many other things the elderly would like to change in their lives and their environment, but they weren't necessarily going to say it directly. The group used questionnaires, idea boxes, and group discussions, and found a lot of surprises.

“It is so important that they can feel real empowerment...and they are not objects, but subjects in their own lives,” said Tiina. She watched her residents become animated, lively, filled with a sense of purpose when they were filling out the questionnaires and deciding things for themselves.

Working with the residents is crucial. Take, for example, having someone to talk to. The team devised a sign that residents could hang on their door to invite others to come in. But it turns out that the residents don't want to talk to each other, they want to talk to outsiders so that they can share their secrets without any of their neighbours finding out!

The team decided that the quickest way to implement such a companionship service was to just do it themselves.

“You realize, this person knows so much,” said Hanna, who spent several sessions talking to the residents one on one. They have lived interesting lives, have many skills, and most of all, time. Harnessing these things is what the Sofia project is all about.

Stay tuned for the Sofia residents' blog, facebook page, and Granny Hug YouTube video, which is all in the works! For this team, five weeks was only enough time to start a few things, but they plan on working throughout the year on developing their partnership with the residents, and even convincing other, less lively retirement homes to follow their example.