Discover the achievements of the 2014-2020 NPA projects

Seven years of cooperation between people, communities, and organisations across thousands of kilometres made a difference in the Northern Periphery and Arctic regions.

Browse the NPA map of results to discover our stories of cooperation. Pick a dot from the map and scroll down to read  about people who have met similar minded colleagues and together found solutions for their shared challenges.

Content from Host maps.google.com has not been loaded as functional cookies with transatlantic data exchanges have not been enabled.

Privacy Settings Load Content Now

Use the +/- buttons in the top left corner of the map to zoom in/out or click on the regions to display the NPA project stories.

Back to list

Increasing remote rehabilitation options

Wearable sensors connect elderly people with physiotherapists

Rapidly developing technology has brought new possibilities for healthcare delivery. In remote areas, wearable technology, and sensors, can decrease the need for hospital visits, provide safer, more efficient, and cost-effective care, and support elderly peoples´ independent living. Karelia University of Applied Sciences has tested the usability of two sensors – smart shoe insoles and G-walk wearable sensor belt. When testing the sensors in their everyday life, some rehabilitees reported that the results encouraged them to do more exercise. The project prepared a practical Guide for rehabilitation staff and organisations to show which aspects must be considered when starting a remote rehabilitation process. From January 2022, Karelia University of Applied Sciences has opened a 30-credit module course entitled „Remote Therapy Expert“ (linked content in Finnish) for all rehabilitation professionals.

Photo credit and copyright: SENDoc project

 

Ritva Mönkkönen

Therapy Services Manager, Siun Sote

The partnership has been fruitful and increased the co-operation between Siun Sote and Karelia UAS. The report increased our knowledge and interest towards wearable sensors and similar equipment in the market, or under development. We gathered research data from wearable sensors to examine accuracy and gained experience in different systems, applications, and their usability in practice. Wearable sensor systems are a little away from deployment in therapists every-day work but going towards it.