The Turku Municipal Social Services and Health Care Department will introduce a cultural plan that forms part of the more comprehensive treatment plan for the elderly in round-the-clock nursing institutions. After a pilot introduction, the cultural plan will be included in the treatment plans of other health care units, so that culture will eventually become a daily part of the lives and treatment of approximately 1,500 elderly residents of Turku.
With the goal of organising a versatile set of cultural activities according to individual needs and wishes, the cultural habits and expectations of the residents will be recorded in the form of a personal treatment plan. Arts, music, dance, design, theatre, photography, history, poetry, literature and various forms of exercise will all be elements of the plan.
The personal circumstances of each participant will be taken into account, whether they are alert but physically unfit, suffering from depression or dementia, whether they are hard of hearing or visually impaired, and whether bed-ridden or otherwise isolated. The activities in the cultural plan will be defined in close cooperation with the round-the-clock treatment personnel, geriatric nursing and the city Cultural Office.
Cultural Plans for Senior Citizens will create a model cultural plan. The long term goal is to adopt it as a permanent working method that can be expanded into Finland and the rest of Europe.
2010–2011
