12.10.2022 Catherine Kayonga: “I am still worthy of your care”

Catherine Kayonga: “I am still worthy of your care”

My name is Catherine Suubi Kayonga, and I am a doctoral researcher from Uganda. My background is in social work. My PhD research topic is “Unmet social and health care needs of older people in Finland”. Currently, I am pursuing my doctoral studies in the Neuro Innovation PhD programme at the University of Eastern Finland. I am excited to be part of this multi-disciplinary programme because of the world-class practical research and the staff’s superior expertise, where I hope to thrive as a researcher.  

I attended Makerere University for a bachelor’s degree in social work and social administration, after which I worked in consultancy, community work and volunteering within several organisations. Some of my roles included project design and management, where I got exposed to the most problematic issues of society, like neglect of older people. To make an impact, I believed change had to emanate from the policy level and trickle down to implementation, thus my zeal to get more expertise on how to evoke this change. Before moving to Kuopio, I studied at the University of Gothenburg, University of Stavanger, University Institute of Lisbon and Makerere University as part of my master’s education.   

In my leisure time, I enjoy playing badminton, a game that is not only fun but one which has taught me that it is not enough to know how to play but, rather, even more importantly, to know the rules. I remember 13-year-old me, at my first badminton tournament, excited to be among those representing my school team; my sole goal was to keep the shuttle away from my opponent. After all, to me, that was ideal, and I continued with the same tactic. However, the more I applied it, the fewer points I got. I did not understand why until my opponent finally defeated me. I was so broken, almost inconsolable; I had let down my team. It was only later that I learnt, “In badminton, the first and most important rule is that you must always serve cross-court to your opponent”. This means the first serve has always to be directed to the opponent instead of away from the opponent like I had done. I did not lose because I did not know how to play but rather because I did not know the rules. The experience of not following and knowing badminton rules led me to grow an interest in understanding rules and social order. Today, this perspective is manifested through our research that aims to investigate the fundamental aspects of the life of older people through the PhD project titled “Unmet social and healthcare needs of older people in Finland” to be able to prescribe suitable interventions. However, it is also worth noting that as researchers in social sciences dealing with people’s complex life issues, we should always have the possibility to think outside the box/existing regulations to find solutions to people’s diverse situations because there is no such thing as “one size fits all”. 

My PhD research is part of two projects  1) the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study, with longitudinal data on health status, lifestyle, cognition, physical functioning, mood, and biomarkers; 2) the Old-age Social Exclusion in Home Care – Prevalence, Meanings & Intervention (SOLDEX) project examining the prevalence, risk factors and individual meanings of social exclusion in-home care clients.  In addition, the aim is to interview older people with diverse backgrounds. Through this research, we expect to reveal: 

1. What is the prevalence of unmet social and healthcare needs among older people? 

2. How are unmet social and health care needs in middle-age linked to mortality?  

3. What impacts are associated with having unmet social and healthcare needs among older people in Finland? 

How will the research goals be achieved?  

Analysis of the CAIDE longitudinal data from (1998- 2010- 2020) will show the change over time in social and healthcare service consumption of older people and indicate the unmet needs of older people over the years, while the cross-sectional data from the SOLDEX project (2021- 2025) and personal interviews will highlight the present unmet needs of older people in Finland. Using quantitative research methods will enable the generalisation of data and the measurement of relationships between different variables. In contrast, the qualitative research method will capture the in-depth perspectives and experiences of older people with unmet needs. This research will be done with the interprofessional expertise, guidance, and supervision of Elisa Tiilikainen, an Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Eastern Finland, Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, who is a Professor of Law and Ageing at the University of Eastern Finland, Alina Solomon, who is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland and Dr Lisko Inna, a post-doctoral researcher at the Faculty of sports and health science at the University of Jyväskylä. 

We should always have the possibility to think outside the box/existing regulations to find solutions to people’s diverse situations because there is no such thing as “one size fits all”

Why does this research matter? 

Ageing is an inevitable part of life that we will all eventually have to go through. Whereas the process differs for all people, some commonalities exist, like limited physical mobility and chronic diseases, increasing the demand for social and healthcare services. There is evidence suggesting the surge of older people’s unmet needs, which causes adverse impacts like going without a hot meal for days, dehydration, bathing and dressing difficulties, mistakes in taking medications, and, in extreme cases causing, death. These consequences deprive older people of having a dignified life if they cannot acquire the basic needs of life.  

Nonetheless, the voices of older people will be brought to light in this research to guide sustainable action toward fulfilling the unmet social and healthcare needs of older people and ensure that the later years of life are lived with dignity. After all, we all crave and deserve to live a fulfilling life; if we do, so do they! Thus, uplifting their voices through the slogan “I am still worthy of your care”, making this PhD research project an intentional path towards improving the situation of older people.