Activities

Date:  Wednesday, 28 October    13:30-15:00

Location:
UEF Joensuu Campus, Aurora Building, Room AU206 , Address: Yliopistokatu 2, Joensuu

UEF Kuopio Campus， Snellmania Building, Room SN205 , Address: Yliopistonranta 8, Kuopio

As part of the Nordic Center Council Meeting Event, this workshop brings together researchers and educators to share international perspectives on innovation, education, social work, and care services, with a focus on creating more inclusive and sustainable societies. 

Host: Prof. Honglin Chen
Professor of Gerontological Social Work
Department of Social Sciences, University of Eastern Finland 

Presentations 

🔹 Anna Puustelli-Pitkänen
Cross-cultural Education for Young Leaders in Smart Elder Care in China and Finland
(CSSI TFK Project) 

🔹 Xingyue Su
Responsible AI-Assisted Elder Care: Trust, Sustainability, and Occupational Well-Being of Professional Care Workers
(AMICA Project) 

🔹 Xiaoyue Hu
Co-Designing an Online Empowerment Toolkit for Home-Based Dementia Care: An Implementation Science-Informed Study
(TWINNING4CARE Horizon Project) 

🔹 Anniina Palokangas
Pedagogical Conditions Shaping Learning: Insights from Social Work Practice Education in Nepal
(ESWPEN Project) 

Registration 

Participation in the workshop is free of charge. To register, please send your name and indicate your preferred participation venue (Joensuu or Kuopio) to Ms. Xiaoyue Hu at [email protected] by 30 September. This information will help us arrange catering and reserve refreshments accordingly. 

We warmly welcome faculty members, researchers, students, and professionals interested in education, social innovation, elder care, and international collaboration. 

Organiser: Department of Social Sciences, Social Research Center for Welfare Technology, University of Eastern Finland, Finland   

In Collaboration with : School of Philosophy and Sociology, Lanzhou University, China, Lanzhou University Pioneering Discipline Partnership Project (LZU-PDPP) 

Introduction: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming social work. This conference aims to bring together experts in social work research and education, AI technology, and social services to develop an expert consensus on AI Literacy in Social Work.

Date: November 9- November 11

Online meeting link  : https://uef.zoom.us/j/8201871029 

Online Presentation Arrangement:

Presenter	Affiliation	Presentation title
Yuxi Zhang	University College London	Managing Vaccine Misinformation in UK Communities in an AI-Mediated Information Environment
Xiayu Summer Chen	University of Central Florida	When Tech Meets Care: How AI-based Conversational Agents Support Older Adults’ Mental Health
Yaru Li	Doctoral graduate at University of Eastern Finland	Digital competences in social work education
Ning Zhu	Doctoral graduate at University of Eastern Finland & Fudan University	Institutionalizing Risk Prediction: A Comparative Multi-Case Study of Welfare Governance in the Digital-Intelligence Era
Ning An	Hefei University of Technology	Towards learning societies in digital aging: digital empathy

 

Doctoral Researcher  Xiaoyue Hu has been invited to deliver a presentation at a special symposium of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Social Work Education Association (APISWEA)  Conference in Macao.

The symposium, titled “Life Course Inequality and Healthy Aging: Long-Term Effects of Early Adversity, Buffering Mechanisms, and Digital Governance,” is organized and chaired by Professor Fei Sun, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work and Professor at Michigan State University. Bringing together international scholars in aging, social work, and health policy, the symposium will explore emerging challenges and opportunities for promoting healthy aging across diverse social and policy contexts.

In her invited presentation, “Digital Practices of Dementia Care in Community Settings from a Social-Technology-Governance Perspective: A Longitudinal Study Based on an H Pilot Subdistrict,” Hu presented findings from a study examining how digital technologies are integrated into community-based dementia care. Drawing on a social-technology-governance framework, the study investigates how digital tools support collaboration among community organizations, professional service providers, family caregivers, and local governance actors. The presentation also highlighted the opportunities and challenges of implementing digital innovations in dementia-friendly communities and discussed their implications for strengthening caregiver support and promoting age-friendly service systems.

Hu’s participation reflects growing international recognition of her research on dementia care, digital social work, and healthy aging. The presentation will contribute to ongoing global discussions on how digital transformation can enhance community-based care and improve the well-being of older adults and their families.

 

 

The 31st eHealth Conference was held at the University of Helsinki, Finland, bringing together researchers, health and social care professionals, policymakers, and technology developers to share research findings, exchange practical experiences, and discuss emerging developments in digital health and social care. Organised by the Finnish Society of Telemedicine and eHealth in collaboration with the Finnish Society for Effectiveness in Social and Healthcare, the conference placed particular emphasis on the effectiveness and value of digital health and welfare services.

The conference covered a broad range of topics, including the evaluation of digital services, cybersecurity and trust, artificial intelligence in healthcare and social care, digital competence, advanced analytics, digital twins, and planetary health. These notes focus on selected presentations from the English sessions attended, summarising their research questions or main objectives, key findings, and implications highlighted by the presenters.

Session 1A: The Opening Ceremony

The opening session placed digital transformation within service redesign and European policy, while questioning whether improved digital access necessarily reduces demand or costs.

Sara Kinnunen — The Role of Digitalisation in Developing Social and Healthcare Services
Drawing on HUS experience with a portfolio of 54 AI systems, Kinnunen described fragmented care pathways and organisational challenges in AI implementation. She emphasised workflow redesign, changes in professional practice and coordinated governance rather than technology deployment alone.

Sari Palojoki — Opening Words from Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Palojoki linked European digital policy and the European Health Data Space (EHDS) to the transition from isolated pilots to routine services. She highlighted interoperability, workforce skills, inclusion and reliable outcome information.

Mika Kortelainen — Assessment of Case Pohjanmaa
A household-randomised trial covering approximately 170,000 residents, with nine months of follow-up, found increased primary care contacts without clear substitution of in-person visits. Kortelainen cautioned against assuming that greater digital access produces resource savings.

Session 2A: How to Evaluate Effectiveness of Digital Health and Social Services?

Presentations considered what counts as value in digital services, combining evaluation frameworks with clinical and organisational examples and distinguishing observed changes from proposed benefits.

Henrique Martins — Using European Health Data for Evaluation in Health Systems
Martins outlined how EHDS, data sharing and electronic health records could support service evaluation. He emphasised interoperable infrastructure, data governance and the capacity to integrate technologies into everyday care.

Paulus Torkki — Value, Effectiveness and Impact – Concepts in Evaluation
Introducing the Quintuple Aim and distinguishing effectiveness, impact and cost-effectiveness, Torkki argued that evaluation should begin with service goals and appropriate comparisons. Assessments should examine outcomes, unintended consequences and differences between users relative to the resources required.

Elias Vaattovaara — The Economic Impact of AI-Based Fracture Detection in the Emergency Department
A retrospective analysis of 2,535 radiographs estimated annual time savings worth €10,500 against a €10,000 software licence. The small margin before other implementation costs supported prospective economic evaluation before procurement.

Elina Wärnhjelm — Real-time Video Visits in Pediatric Urgent Care: A Registry-Based Study of Clinical Presentations and Outcomes
Among 601 scheduled video visits for nurse-triaged children, no hospital admissions were recorded. Wärnhjelm considered video consultations complementary for selected low-acuity cases, while noting that the single-centre uncontrolled study could not establish comparative safety or effectiveness.

Kaisa Pesonen — Reducing Care Backlogs and Improving Access with Nurse-Assisted Remote Diagnostics: Experiences from a Finnish Public Healthcare Implementation
Memory-clinic waiting times fell from eight to three months during nurse-assisted remote diagnostic pilots. Pesonen highlighted training, clear roles and management support, while acknowledging that the descriptive evaluation could not establish clinical or economic effectiveness.

Julia Koppinen (Medanets; corporate) — Impact through Mobile Workflows: Supporting Early Detection of Sepsis
Koppinen described a record-integrated mobile workflow for bedside sepsis screening, proposing reduced assessment burden and earlier intervention. These were intended benefits, not outcomes established by an independent evaluation of Medanets.

Johanna Mätäsaho (Flion; corporate) — VOXER: Surfacing What Truly Matters
VOXER converts citizens’ spoken or written accounts into structured information for social care professionals. Mätäsaho described anticipated improvements in service planning and coordination, but presented no quantitative evidence of these benefits.

Session 3A: Cybersecurity and Trust in Digital Healthcare and Social Welfare Services

This session approached trust through cybersecurity, professional practice and governance, alongside reports on predictive modelling, education and safety-data reform.

Kimmo Halunen — Cybersecurity of Everyday and Disruptive Technologies in Healthcare
Halunen described vulnerabilities created by interconnected systems, complex supply chains and faster AI-assisted attacks. He recommended continuous risk assessment, pre-deployment security testing and updates, emphasising that complete security cannot be guaranteed.

Evangelos Markatos — Cybersecurity Challenges in the Era of the European Health Data Space
Markatos outlined risks associated with wider health-data access: vulnerable personal devices, phishing and malicious alteration of records. His central message was that data integrity is a patient-safety concern, not merely a confidentiality issue.

Aappo Keränen — It Asks, It Never Tells: Identification, Disclosure and Trust in a Production AI Voice Agent
UusiAika cancels and reschedules dental appointments while limiting disclosure of stored information. Keränen distinguished identification from authentication and emphasised narrowly defined functions, human escalation and safeguards for planned outbound calls.

Maiju Kyytsönen — Ethical Challenges in Data Protection and Information Security Among Licensed Practical Nurses Using Digital Tools in Finland
Seventy Finnish practical nurses described 73 ethical issues in open-ended survey responses, including information access, device security, photography and consent. Kyytsönen recommended workplace-specific guidance, role-based training and access to data protection expertise.

Anas Al Natsheh — Machine Learning–Based Mortality Risk Prediction in ICU Patients to Support Clinical Decision-Making
A single-hospital retrospective model achieved an AUC of 0.946 for ICU mortality prediction. Al Natsheh proposed independent validation and national-data expansion before broader clinical applicability could be established.

Kristina Rosqvist — Overcoming Cultural Differences in Cross-National Digital Health Education
Rosqvist described curriculum co-development across Finland, Greece and Portugal, with positive student feedback despite differences in assessment and institutional requirements. Competency frameworks provided common ground, while collaboration required flexibility for local educational contexts.

Laura Heinonen — Towards More Proactive Client and Patient Safety Through the Reform of National Adverse Event and Patient Safety Incident Data Production
Heinonen presented a proposed national model combining standardised documentation, automatic data transfer and data integration. Its intended benefits—less duplication and earlier risk identification—depend on sustained governance, legislative support and collaboration.

Session 4A: AI Assistants Transforming Healthcare and Social Services

This session combined practical AI applications with evaluation and implementation questions, including professional oversight, staff readiness and the organisational conditions needed to move beyond pilots.

Milla Sulunsilta — AI Summary Assistant for Child and Family Social Work
A 2025 Tampere pilot of AI-generated service-needs assessment summaries saved an average of 42 minutes per document compared with another team, but staff reported mixed workload effects and possible output errors. Sulunsilta emphasised professional review, training and system integration.

Sami Pakarinen — Evaluation Framework for AI Tools in Specialized Care
Pakarinen outlined staged assessment, local testing and continuing monitoring of clinical AI, covering clinical, financial, operational and workforce impacts. He framed implementation as organisational change requiring clear accountability, rather than a technical installation.

Robin Ohannessian — AI Assistants as the New Health Workforce Layer?
Ohannessian proposed an exploratory progression from task optimisation to autonomous tasks and complete workflow coordination. This conceptual model raised questions about responsibility, supervision, human escalation and future workforce planning rather than demonstrating workforce substitution.

Jarmo Pulkkinen — The Barrier Inversion: Why the Most Motivated Employees Cannot Adopt Generative AI in Public Health and Social Care
Preliminary survey findings from 377 analysed respondents linked motivational readiness with AI use; among non-users, the most motivated reported greater barriers. Pulkkinen distinguished individual readiness from organisational conditions and proposed targeted practical support.

Marja Harjumaa — AI-Assisted Documentation in Social Care
A social care documentation pilot in Western Uusimaa recorded 5,721 uses, with 79% of draft notes copied into client records. Interviews and surveys suggested reduced cognitive workload, while Harjumaa emphasised preserving professional reflection and sufficient working time.

Laura Heinonen — AI-assisted identification of Clavien-Dindo grades as part of structured adverse event reporting
ICD-11 and Clavien–Dindo were only partially compatible, while AI identification using nearly 5,000 clinician-assigned complication grades showed clinically meaningful agreement of 87.6–99% across evaluated specialties. Heinonen emphasised shared classifications, clinical validation and national implementation.

Antti Brunni — From Research to Production: Structural Bottlenecks and an Orchestration Model for Scaling AI in the Finnish Health and Social Care System
Thirty interviews and a review of 759 publications identified unclear ownership, fragmented responsibilities and inadequate deployment structures as barriers to routine AI use. Brunni proposed coordinated implementation with clear ownership and lifecycle management.

Johan Sanmark (Tandem Health; corporate) — Tandem – Europe’s Leading AI Medical Assistant
Sanmark described AI support spanning scheduling, documentation, coding and follow-up, with company-reported feedback suggesting reduced documentation time. He emphasised secure deployment and compliance; no independent comparative evaluation was presented.

Tatu Han (Gosta Labs; corporate) — Gosta: AI Transforming Social and Healthcare, One Encounter at a Time
Han described specialty- and task-specific documentation models and argued that understanding professional workflows matters more than AI capability alone. Agent-based workflows were presented as a future direction, not an established product outcome.

Session 5A: Advanced Analytics and AI

The presentation covered here contrasted expanding AI adoption with the more limited evidence of sustained clinical and organisational impact.

Oscar Boldt-Christmas — Front-line Deployed AI Solutions in Healthcare – Where Are We Today?
Citing deployment evidence, Boldt-Christmas contrasted rapid documentation-focused adoption with limited demonstrated clinical impact. A European analysis covering 236,153 notes reported shorter self-reported documentation time without an objective baseline; he highlighted usability, workflow integration and sustained implementation.

Session 7A: Metaverse in Healthcare and Social Welfare Services

This session brought together digital twin infrastructures, personalised health applications and self-service screening, alongside reviews of the professional competencies needed in digitalised health and social care.

Pirjo Spuul — Federated Infrastructure for Digital Twin Applications in Scientific Virtual Environments – Advancing eHealth and Biomedical Research
Spuul described DTRIP4H’s federated digital twin infrastructure, combining federated learning, synthetic data and augmented/virtual reality across research settings. Reported progress concerned architecture, governance and a registry of 81 reusable 3D assets rather than clinical outcomes, with interoperability and privacy central to implementation.

Parisa Gazerani — Digital Twins and Data-Driven Health Technologies: New Opportunities for Personalized Monitoring and Decision Support in Neurological Disorders
Gazerani reviewed digital twins for personalised neurological monitoring, noting uneven maturity and many early-stage applications. She emphasised reliable multimodal data, clinical validation and continuous updating, warning against using “digital twin” as an unsupported marketing label.

Rosa Hautamäki — Toward a Digital Competence Framework for Social Work: Findings from a Descriptive Literature Review
Across 50 peer-reviewed Finnish-language articles published since 2015, all six DigCompSW dimensions appeared, but information management predominated while social intervention and clients’ digital competence received limited attention. Hautamäki proposed adding research competence and digital research methods within professional development.

Ying Zhang — Digital Literacy in Home-Based Elderly Care Services as Frontline Practice: Evidence from a Scoping Review
Zhang’s 15-study scoping review found fragmented definitions, a technical-skills emphasis and limited coverage of higher-order competencies, with organisational learning support the most consistently reported facilitator. The review called for multidimensional assessment and attention to workplace learning opportunities.

Vili Kostamo — Fully Digitalized, Self-Service Screening for Cardiovascular Diseases: A Case Study and Call to Action from the Frankfurt University Hospital Heart Centre
Among 1,916 analysed adult screening users, 61.9% had at least one screening signal; these were not confirmed diagnoses. Kostamo proposed automated risk stratification, longitudinal follow-up and health-economic evaluation to assess preventive value.

Session 8: A Paradigm Shift toward Planetary Health

The closing thematic session broadened digital health evaluation beyond patients and organisations to include ecological limits, resource consumption and the distribution of environmental burdens.

Chiara Cadeddu — A Paradigm Shift toward Planetary Health and One Health in Digital Services
Cadeddu contrasted travel-related emission reductions with digital infrastructure’s energy, water and waste burdens. She advocated lifecycle evaluation that extends value beyond clinical outcomes and costs to include environmental sustainability, resilience, equity and affected communities.

Summary

Overall, the conference addressed not only what digital technologies can do, but how health and social care systems can use them effectively, safely and sustainably. There are three priorities emerge: evaluating benefits in real practice rather than equating adoption with effectiveness; supporting workforce competence and redesigning workflows rather than relying on technology alone; and defining value to include safety, equity and environmental impacts.

Editor: Xiaoyue Hu

The DigiWELL Impact Forum 2026 was held at the City Campus of the University of Ostrava, bringing together the DigiWELL project team, partners, and invited scholars to present research progress, exchange methodological insights, and discuss future directions.

The forum covered a broad range of topics, including digital behavioral interventions, mHealth, wearable technologies, ecological momentary assessment (EMA), artificial intelligence, aging, and care. These notes focus primarily on sessions addressing intensive longitudinal measurement, physical activity, wearable technologies, and adaptive digital interventions.

I. EMA, Wearable Devices, and Everyday Dynamics of Physical Activity

This group of studies focused primarily on physical activity, psychological states, and environmental exposures in everyday life. Most used EMA, wearable devices, and environmental sensors for intensive longitudinal measurement. The analytical emphasis was on within-person processes: how the same individual changes across time and contexts, to understand dynamic patterns that may be obscured by group-level averages.

The Intention–Behavior Gap and Weather Factors

Presenter: Lenka Knapová | Title: From Momentary Intentions to Action: Psychological and Environmental Influences on the Physical Activity Intention–Behavior Relationship

This study examined the intention–behavior gap in physical activity, asking what determines whether an already formed intention to be physically active is translated into actual behavior. The study was guided by the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), with particular attention to maintenance self-efficacy. Environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity, rainfall, and sunshine, were also incorporated to examine how psychological and weather-related factors jointly relate to the translation of intentions into subsequent physical activity.

The study used EMA and wearable devices such as Fitbit for intensive measurement, together with environmental sensors to capture weather information. The preliminary analysis included 57 adults. The findings indicated that stronger momentary intentions to be physically active and higher maintenance self-efficacy were associated with more subsequent physical activity, whereas weather factors did not show a clear moderating effect in the current analysis. The discussion further suggested that weather may first influence whether an intention to exercise is formed, and that weather exposure may need to be operationalized using more appropriate time scales and indicators.

The discussion therefore focused on how environmental variables should be incorporated into behavioral models. The research team considered comparing absolute temperature, short-term weather changes, and weather forecasts, although it remains difficult to determine whether participants actually consult forecast information. Future analyses will continue to examine the distinct pathways through which weather may affect intention formation and intention enactment.

2. Thermal Perception, Environmental Temperature, and Daily Stress

Presenter: Lenka Knapová | Title: Perceived Thermal Comfort in Daily Life: Comparing Wearable Environmental Sensing and Outdoor Temperature Using Ambulatory Assessment

This study examined thermal perception in relation to environmental temperature and everyday experience. The main questions were whether local temperature recorded by wearable environmental sensors or outdoor meteorological data more closely reflected participants’ momentary subjective thermal sensations, and whether thermal perception was associated with perceived stress during the same day.

The study repeatedly assessed subjective thermal perception using EMA while simultaneously collecting data from wearable sensors and weather stations. The preliminary sample included 30 adults. The findings suggested that both sources of objective temperature informationwere associated with subjective thermal perception and each contributed partly independent information, indicating that they may have complementary value in research conducted in everyday environments. The current analysis did not identify a clear association between thermal perception and overall daily perceived stress.

The discussion placed particular emphasis on measurement context. Wearable sensors are closer to the participant’s immediate environment, but their readings may be influenced by sun exposure, wearing position, and how the device is carried. Weather-station data are more standardized, yet they are less able to capture indoor microenvironments.

3. Recent Physical Activity and Momentary Affect

Presenter: Roman Filo | Title: Lag-Specific Associations Between Recent Physical Activity and Subsequent Affect in Young Adults: An Ambulatory Assessment

This study examined short-term associations between recent physical activity and subsequent momentary affect, and further tested whether these associations varied according to how much time had elapsed between the activity and the affect assessment. A secondary analysis was conducted using intensive longitudinal data from the MORHAI project. The final analysis included 346 young adults; physical activity was recorded with wearable devices, while affect was assessed repeatedly through EMA.

The findings showed that recent physical activity was generally associated with more positive affect and lower negative affect. The study did not find clear evidence for the hypothesis that activity occurring closer to the affect assessment would show a stronger association, suggesting that the short-term relationship between physical activity and affect may persist across a broader time window. Because the study was observational, the results indicate associations and do not support direct causal inference.

The study also highlights the importance of defining appropriate time windows when examining activity and affect in everyday life. Focusing too narrowly on activity that occurred only immediately beforehand may overlook associations that accumulate over a longer period, and step-based indicators may not fully capture different types of physical activity.

4. HAPA-Related Predictors of Physical Activity in Adults With Obesity

Presenter: Steriani Elavsky | Title: Exploring HAPA-Related Predictors of Physical Activity in Adults with Obesity

This study focused on personalized lifestyle interventions for adults with obesity and examined within-person variation in HAPA-related psychological variables. The study drew on both the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) model and HAPA. COM-B was used to identify the capability, opportunity, and motivation required for behavior change, while HAPA was used to understand the process from motivation formation to behavioral enactment, with particular attention to self-regulatory factors such as intentions, self-efficacy, and action planning.

The study used EMA and multiple wearable and mobile sensing devices to continuously capture psychological variables, physical activity, and relevant contextual information in real-world settings, and ultimately included 76 adults. The analysis showed substantial differences across participants in the patterns of fluctuation in HAPA-related variables, and individual characteristics may also shape the relationships among these variables.

The main implication is that HAPA can help identify which psychological processes should be targeted in personalized interventions, while group-level average associations cannot directly answer who may benefit from intervention, when intervention should occur, and which psychological process should be targeted. Future digital interventions therefore need to identify person-specific dynamic patterns more precisely.

II. Measurement Accuracy of Commercial Exercise Wearables

Presenter: Tomáš Větrovský | Title: Criterion Validity of Fitbit and Garmin Wearables for Monitoring Moderate-Intensity Exercise Snacks in People with Obesity

This study specifically examined the accuracy of commercial wearable devices such as Fitbit and Garmin for monitoring short bouts of moderate-intensity exercise. The central questions were whether the “active minutes” displayed by the devices reliably reflected actual exercise intensity, and whether measurement errors arose primarily from the sensors themselves or from the algorithms used to classify heart rate and exercise intensity.

The laboratory study included 30 participants. Researchers first established individualized reference levels for exercise intensity using treadmill testing and indirect calorimetry, after which participants completed several bouts of moderate-intensity exercise while wearing both Fitbit and Garmin devices. Indirect calorimetry served as the reference standard for evaluating actual exercise intensity.

The study found that both devices could produce systematic deviations from actual exercise intensity, although the direction and magnitude of the bias differed between brands. Further analysis suggested that much of the problem was related to how the devices’ algorithms defined and applied intensity thresholds, rather than simply to inaccuracy in wrist-based heart-rate sensing. When the calibration context differed from the actual type of exercise, the devices were also more likely to interpret an elevated post-exercise heart rate as continued activity.

The most important methodological implication is that commercial wearables can be useful for everyday monitoring, but researchers should not treat manufacturer-generated “active minutes” as ground truth. When a study requires precise differentiation of exercise intensity, researchers need to understand the device’s threshold algorithms, data aggregation procedures, and configurability, and should make the calibration context as similar as possible to the actual exercise setting.

III. Exercise Snacks and JITAI Optimization in Adults With Obesity

This section shifted from the measurement of physical activity to interventions designed to promote it. Two pilot studies examined, respectively, whether brief bouts of exercise could be integrated into the everyday lives of adults with obesity, and whether combining human counselling with a JITAI could support behavior change in everyday life.

1. Feasibility of Exercise Snacks and Self-Monitoring

Presenter: Andrea Duchoňová | Title: Feasibility of Exercise Snacks and Self-Monitoring Using Fitbit and Garmin Wearables in People with Obesity

This study examined whether adults with obesity could integrate brief, low-barrier bouts of physical activity into everyday life, while also exploring experiences of using Fitbit and Garmin devices in real-world settings. The study included 33 adults with obesity. Participants completed different types of brief exercise in daily life and reported their experiences, perceived difficulty, contextual constraints, and device-use experiences through EMA and follow-up interviews.

Overall, the findings supported the feasibility of the exercise-snack approach. Participants generally understood and accepted the format, describing it as requiring relatively little time, no specialized equipment, and being easier to integrate into daily routines. Factors that affected implementation were more often related to scheduling, weather, location, and social context. Some exercises were difficult to perform in public settings, highlighting the need for intervention content to account for specific contexts.

Both devices could support self-monitoring, but convenience, interface design, screen characteristics, and wearing experience influenced participant preferences. The presentation therefore emphasized usability and fit with everyday life as important considerations in device selection, alongside measurement performance.

2. A Hybrid Counselling and JITAI Micro-Randomized Trial

Presenter: Steriani Elavsky | Title: A Hybrid Counselling and Just-in-Time Adaptive Intervention (JITAI) to Promote Physical Activity and Eating Behavior in Adults with Obesity

The second pilot combined human counselling with a JITAI. Counselling was used to support reflection, autonomous motivation, goal setting, and self-regulation, while the digital intervention was designed to identify brief windows of opportunity for action in everyday life. HAPA served as the primary theoretical framework, with motivational interviewing incorporated into the counselling component. The JITAI component focused on three questions: when to deliver a message, to whom it should be delivered, and what content should be delivered.

The study used a micro-randomized trial (MRT), repeatedly randomizing different types of intervention messages at multiple daily decision points in order to estimate their short-term effects and examine individual differences. A total of 46 participants enrolled and 45 completed the study. The messages targeted strategies such as immediate action, action/coping planning, and identity support, with some messages triggered conditionally according to participants’ behavior on that day.

At the group level, the digital messages did not show a stable or clearly uniform effect, but responses varied substantially across participants. These findings highlight the importance of identifying which individuals respond to which content and at which moments.

Participants generally found the messages acceptable, but their feedback also indicated that messages should be shorter, more specific, and easier to act on immediately. Messages designed around different theoretical mechanisms were not always easy to distinguish in practice. Future work could use baseline characteristics and previous response patterns to predict individual responses, and could also explore the use of large language models to dynamically adapt message content, provided that such adaptations are grounded in reliable experimental evidence about person-specific response patterns.

IV. Reflections

A central takeaway from the DigiWELL Impact Forum is that digital health research is increasingly focused on understanding how behavior and psychological processes change in real-world settings and how these dynamic patterns can inform personalized interventions. Research using EMA and wearable devices extends beyond one-time questionnaire assessments by enabling repeated and intensive measurement in everyday life and closer examination of within-person change over time. A second major insight concerns individual differences. In relationships among intentions, self-efficacy, and physical activity, group-level averages may obscure how different individuals actually respond. Greater attention is therefore needed to within-person change, temporal context, and implementation conditions in digital interventions. This emphasis on person- and context-specific dynamics is also relevant to research on AI-assisted care. Once technology becomes embedded in routine care work, its implications may vary across workers, tasks, and organizational contexts.

 

Editor：Xiaoyue Hu

 

Kuopio, Agust 18, 2025

During the recent academic exchange, SRCWT had the pleasure of hosting delegations from Hefei University of Technology and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. The visit featured a series of insightful activities that fostered interdisciplinary dialogue and international collaboration.

Activity 1: Exploration of the HUMEA Laboratory at the University of Eastern Finland

The first stop was the HUMEA Laboratory (Human Measurement and Analysis), located at the University of Eastern Finland. Led by Professor Pasi Karjalainen, the lab tour showcased a comprehensive suite of advanced technologies designed for physiological and biomechanical research.

Key equipment demonstrated included:

• • Wireless EMG systems: Delsys Trigno and Bittium Faros

• • Full-body motion capture: Xsens Awinda with 18 IMUs

• • Foot pressure analysis: Tekscan F-Scan

• • Biological signal acquisition: Biopac systems for ECG, EEG, GSR, and skin temperature

These tools, integrated with motion capture systems and force plates, enable a wide range of applications—from respiratory gas analysis during running, to postural balance testing under perturbation, musculoskeletal modeling, performance evaluation, and even ultrasound imaging of muscles and tendons.

The lab’s configuration allows seamless transitions between controlled experimental setups and real-world scenarios, supporting both precise kinematic studies and applied research in everyday contexts.

Activity 2: Doctoral Seminar and Research Exchange

A doctoral seminar was held to facilitate academic exchange among early-stage researchers. Presentations were delivered by:

• • Zhang Yu and Liu Shuo from Hefei University of Technology

• • Xiaoyue Hu, Xingyue Su, and Rong Xia from the University of Eastern Finland

Topics covered included:

• • Evaluating ageism using large language models

• • Effective care models for families of people with cognitive impairment

• • The role of artificial intelligence in supporting professional caregiving

The seminar fostered vibrant discussions on the intersection of aging, technology, and social care, highlighting innovative methodologies and shared research interests.

Activity 3: Academic Sharing at Metropolia UAS

To conclude the visit, Professor Honglin Chen, head of the SRCWT team, delivered an academic presentation at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. The session focused on Service-Learning Modules & Case Studies, emphasizing experiential learning and community engagement in social work education.

Through immersive lab experiences, interdisciplinary research dialogues, and cross-institutional sharing, the exchange fostered mutual understanding and opened new avenues for joint research and innovation. The integration of advanced human measurement technologies with socially impactful doctoral research exemplifies the potential of combining technical precision with human-centered inquiry. SRCWT looks forward to continuing this collaborative journey with Hefei University of Technology and Metropolia UAS, building a shared platform for knowledge exchange and societal advancement.

Note： Part of the Contents and Photos provided by Yu Zhang

This year, the Finnish Society of Telemedicine and eHealth (FSTeH) celebrates its 30th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the Society hosted its flagship annual conference eHealth2025 under the theme “Strengthening Interoperability and Equality in Digital Health with Nordic Innovations.”

Organised in cooperation with Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the conference gathered leading healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and technology experts to discuss international and Nordic trends in digital health. The programme featured keynote addresses, scientific presentations, and high-level policy dialogues.

The opening ceremony included a keynote speech by Clayton Hamilton, Regional Advisor at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, titled “Strengthening Digital Health: Solutions for Interoperability and Equality.” His remarks emphasised the importance of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) in advancing interoperability, cross-border collaboration, and fair access to digital services.

Xingyue Su, a doctoral researcher at the SRCWT, University of Eastern Finland, supervised by Prof. Honglin Chen and Prof. Pasi Karjalainen delivered the talk on “Digital Assistive Technology in the Care Scenario of Cognitive Impairment – Analysis Based on Technology Acceptance Model,” Su presented findings from qualitative interviews with caregivers in China. Her study highlighted both the promise of digital assistive technologies—such as GPS devices, social robots, and cognitive training apps—and the barriers to adoption, including cost, usability, and cultural concerns. She argued for a future care model based on human–technology collaboration, where innovative tools support but do not replace caregivers.

(Xingyue Su presenting at eHealth2025)The second day of the conference featured a high-level session on digital inclusion in the Nordic countries, chaired by Vesa Jormanainen from the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Representatives from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland presented their national strategies for ensuring equitable access to health services in the context of the European Health Data Space (EHDS).

Sweden highlighted its Digital Public Services Accessibility Act and the 2025–2030 digitalisation strategy, while also acknowledging challenges such as the 5% of citizens who remain offline and nearly one million without electronic identification.
Denmark emphasised its six digital inclusion principles, stressing that solutions must be designed for all citizens, including vulnerable groups, and supported by political agreements and annual surveys on citizens’ digital challenges.
Finland presented the work of the Digital Population Centre and the newly established support centres in welfare counties, which aim to provide practical guidance to citizens at risk of digital exclusion.
Iceland reported that over 95% of households already have high-speed internet, and 85.5% of adults used the national patient portal last year, but stressed that digital literacy and data privacy remain significant concerns.
Norway shared its first-ever Digital Inclusion Index, noting strong performance in internet access and e-identification, but also weaknesses in universal design, with more than half of reviewed services failing to meet accessibility standards.

During the discussion, Prof. Honglin Chen raised a question on how digital inclusion could be structurally implemented at the system level—beyond high-level policy frameworks—to ensure that strategies are effectively translated into practice. The Nordic representatives responded by pointing to concrete mechanisms such as cross-sector cooperation platforms, digital agent modelsallowing trusted persons to act on behalf of patients, and hybrid service pathways that combine digital and analogue options to guarantee inclusivity.They also stressed that continuous evaluation, capacity-building for healthcare professionals, and community-level support structures are crucial to making digital inclusion sustainable in practice.

(Prof. Honglin Chen giving concluding remarks in the Nordic Vision and Collaboration opportunities discussion session.)

This exchange underscored not only the shared ambitions of the Nordic countries but also the practical complexities of embedding inclusion into everyday healthcare delivery. The dialogue provided valuable insights for international researchers and policymakers seeking to bridge the gap between policy design and on-the-ground implementation.
By bringing together international voices and Nordic innovations, eHealth2025 reaffirmed FSTeH’s central role in shaping the future of digital health. The conference underscored that interoperability, equality, and collaboration are essential drivers for the

June 05-06,2025

Organizers:
School of Social and Public Administration, ECUST
Sanlian Institute of Health and Aging, ECUST

Co-organizers:
Shanghai Think Tank for Social Work and Social Policy
Shanghai Social Work Research Association
Welfare Technology and Society Research Center, University of Eastern Finland

The symposium, themed “Aging Welfare Technology: Digital Empowerment, Health Care, and Policy Practice,” aimed to integrate cutting-edge international expertise with local practical experience, transcend geographical boundaries, and build a diverse platform for exchange. It fostered in-depth dialogue and close collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers. Scholars and experts from Europe, North America, the Asia-Pacific region, and domestic universities engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as the application of technology and user experience in elderly care, health management and nursing service systems, and the intersection of social work and aging welfare technology. Through keynote speeches, thematic discussions, and various formats, participants shared the latest research findings and practical experiences, jointly exploring innovative pathways to enhance the quality of elderly care services through advanced technologies, thereby contributing wisdom and strength to addressing the global challenge of aging.

 

Open Ceremony

The opening ceremony of the symposium was chaired by Professor He Xuesong, Dean of the School of Social and Public Administration at East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST). The university was honored to have Vice President Yan Haifeng deliver the opening address. He extended a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all participating experts and scholars. In his speech, he emphasized that in response to the increasingly severe aging challenge in China, ECUST has strategically developed emerging disciplines such as health management, gerontechnology, and health-focused social work, building upon its existing academic strengths. He stressed the importance of cultivating high-level professionals locally while also strengthening international exchange and cooperation. By doing so, he noted, the university aims to explore solutions to global social issues and contribute wisdom and strength to the building of a shared future for humanity.

 

Keynote Presentations

• • Section 1

The first session of keynote presentations was chaired by Professor Juha Hämäläinen, Honorary Professor at the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Ostrava. In this session, Professor Hongtu Chen from Harvard University, Professor Kathryn Almack from the University of Hertfordshire, and Professor Gyewan Moon from Kyungpook National University shared insights on topics such as social technology methodology, the impact of digital technology, and the willingness to adopt generative AI.

The first speaker, Professor Hongtu Chen from Harvard University, approached the current challenges in elderly care from the perspective of social technology. He addressed three key questions: “How do we understand the problem?”, “How do we find solutions?”, and “How do we apply, promote, and scale those solutions?” Based on practical applications, he proposed four core principles of social technology: interdisciplinary collaboration, in-depth research, co-design, and international cooperation.

The second speaker, Professor Kathryn Almack from the University of Hertfordshire, explored the impact of digital technology on home-based elderly care. She pointed out that digital technology has a dual effect in this context: while it enhances the independence of older adults and promotes social participation, it can also be a source of stress and poses significant data security risks. She emphasized the importance of addressing data security issues and establishing robust protection mechanisms to balance the benefits of technology with its potential risks.

The third speaker, Professor Gyewan Moon from Kyungpook National University in South Korea, presented his research on the factors influencing startups’ willingness to adopt generative AI robots. Using the Value-based Adoption Model as a framework, he conducted structural equation modeling based on collected data. The findings revealed that the intention to use generative AI chatbots is primarily driven by perceived value. Perceived usefulness and enjoyment significantly enhance perceived value, while perceived cost has a negative impact. Interestingly, technical difficulty was not a significant factor, indicating that startups prioritize cost-effectiveness and practical functionality, and their strong adaptability to technology makes them more inclined to adopt high ROI AI tools.

The fourth speaker, Professor Vivian Lou from the University of Hong Kong, identified four major barriers to technology adoption among older adults: stigma, technological complexity, resistance to change, and cost concerns. She advocated for a user-centered approach in applying technology to elderly care, emphasizing the need to create supportive environments and develop technologies that genuinely enhance well-being for older adults and their caregivers. She also highlighted the ethical concerns related to privacy breaches and algorithmic bias in technological applications

 

• • Section 2

The second session of keynote presentations was chaired by Associate Professor Wang Ning from East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST). In this session, Professor Ruopeng An from New York University, Professor Jin Jing from ECUST, and Professor Ana Veloso from the University of Aveiro shared their insights on topics including applications of artificial intelligence, breakthroughs in brain-computer interfaces, and the role of game design in promoting technology acceptance

The first speaker, Professor Ruopeng An from New York University, provided a comprehensive overview of his team’s recent groundbreaking work in AI applications. In the scientific domain, they have utilized AI for high-precision detection of misinformation, policy sentiment analysis, disease surveillance and diagnosis, and the innovation of qualitative research tools. In the field of education, they have launched a series of certification courses in artificial intelligence and data science. In terms of social practice, they have organized multiple online and offline workshops, initiated community empowerment projects, and developed social media influence strategies.

The second speaker, Professor Jin Jing from ECUST, introduced his team’s pioneering work in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI). Addressing challenges in traditional visual BCI systems such as signal overlap, peripheral interference, and limitations for special populations, the team proposed a novel encoding mechanism that significantly improves signal stability and recognition accuracy. To overcome issues like weak EEG signals, high noise levels, and individual variability, they integrated temporal, spatial, and frequency domain information to optimize feature extraction, greatly enhancing information transmission rates and advancing BCI technology from laboratory research to real-world applications.

The third speaker, Professor Ana Veloso from the University of Aveiro in Portugal, proposed using digital game design as a strategy to address the challenges older adults face in adopting technology. Since 2019, her team has successfully designed and implemented a series of age-friendly digital game projects, such as the movie-based game miPlay and the memory game miOne Islands, aimed at improving digital literacy and social interaction among older adults in online communities.

 

• • Section 3

The third session of keynote presentations was chaired by Professor Yang Hui from the School of Sociology at Nankai University. In this session, Professor Juha Hämäläinen (Honorary Professor at the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Ostrava), Professor Sheng-feng Qin from Northumbria University, Professor Yucheung Wong from St. Francis University, and Senior Research Fellow Yuezhong Liu from Nanyang Technological University shared insights on topics such as AI applications in the welfare sector, smart flowerpot technology for elderly living alone, evaluation of smart elderly care technologies in Hong Kong, and practical applications of aging health technologies.

Professor Juha Hämäläinen emphasized that the digitalization of services and the professional application of AI are profoundly transforming work practices and professional standards in the social and healthcare sectors. However, he stressed that human judgment remains irreplaceable in professional decision-making in the welfare field, and professionals should not rely solely on machine-generated information.

Professor Sheng-feng Qin shared his thoughts on integrating digital twin and generative AI technologies to address loneliness among elderly individuals living alone. He introduced a product concept called the “smart flowerpot design.”

Professor Yucheung Wong presented the current aging situation in Hong Kong and the government’s investments in this area. He focused on 47 “Smart Elderly Care” projects recognized by the ICT Awards since 2006, including VR rehabilitation and health monitoring. He noted a shift from basic to personalized technology applications and predicted a significant increase in market demand as the baby boomer generation enters advanced age.

Senior Research Fellow Yuezhong Liu discussed the challenges Singapore faces regarding aging and introduced several ongoing projects in elderly care, health, and welfare. He emphasized the importance of clearly understanding the needs and expectations of elderly individuals and caregivers, and advocated for user-centered design in medical systems to enhance practical effectiveness.

 

• • Section 4

The fourth session was chaired by Professor Li Juan from Huashan Hospital, affiliated with Fudan University. In this session, Dr. Outi Ahonen from Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Professor Geok Ling Lee from the National University of Singapore, and Professor Honglin Chen from the University of Eastern Finland shared their work on digitalization in Finland, balancing digital and humanistic approaches, and digital interventions for cognitive impairment.

Dr. Outi Ahonen discussed Finland’s practices and experiences in promoting digitalization, particularly in the development of electronic and remote healthcare services. She analyzed the current state of digital skills and training needs, and proposed using AI and other new technologies to improve service efficiency and quality.

Professor Geok Ling Lee, Head of the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, explored how to balance technology and human connection to alleviate loneliness and social isolation among older adults. She analyzed the effectiveness of technological interventions, human-machine collaborative design, community partnerships, and ethical considerations.

Professor Honglin Chen, Director of the Social Research Center for Welfare Technology at the University of Eastern Finland, focused on digital tools for non-pharmacological interventions in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. She introduced how these interventions can be integrated into care systems through caregiver collaboration and online models, enriching the pathways for implementation.

 

• • Section 5

The fifth session was chaired by Associate Professor Song Yajun from East China University of Science and Technology. In this session, Professor Zhang Hongbo from ECUST, Assistant Professor Yifan Lou from Virginia Commonwealth University, Assistant Professor Fang Chao from the University of Liverpool, and Distinguished Associate Researcher Cheng Mengling from ECUST presented on wearable sensor rehabilitation, ICT inequality among vulnerable elderly populations, AI ethics in East Asia, and technology use among older adults in Shanghai.

Professor Zhang Hongbo from the School of Mechanical and Power Engineering at ECUST shared her team’s achievements in wearable rehabilitation sensors. They developed a wireless human posture tracking system based on micro-inertial sensors and NRF24L01, using multi-inertial node fusion filtering algorithms and data synchronization methods to provide multidimensional data support for rehabilitation assessment.

Assistant Professor Yifan Lou from the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University discussed the inequalities and barriers in ICT use among vulnerable elderly populations. She emphasized the need for more educational interventions to support their learning needs.

Assistant Professor Fang Chao from the University of Liverpool, also Deputy Director of the Centre for Research on Ageing and the Life Course, shared ethical considerations in applying AI as an intervention tool in qualitative aging research within East Asian contexts. He proposed a comprehensive and culturally sensitive ethical framework.

Distinguished Associate Researcher Cheng Mengling from the School of Social and Public Administration at ECUST introduced the Shanghai Family Cohort Study and preliminary findings on technology and digital tool usage among older adults in Shanghai. She outlined future plans to explore determinants of technology use and develop social service programs to support older adults in adopting new technologies.

 

Parallel Forums

• • Forum 1: Digital Technology and Elder Empowerment

The first sub-forum, themed “Digital Technology and Elder Empowerment,” was moderated and reviewed in the morning session by Mr. Mao Xupeng from East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) and Ms. Xin Yongrong from Jiangsu Open University. In the afternoon session, Ms. Cheng Mengling and Mr. Zhou Deyu from ECUST served as moderators and reviewers. Seven scholars—Xin Yongrong, Mao Xupeng, Zhu Jingya, Yu Zhan, Liu Wei, Zhou Deyu, and Lu Jiaku—participated in the presentations and discussions.

Drawing on literature reviews and field research, and employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, the scholars conducted in-depth analyses of the challenges faced by older adults in the digital age. They explored multiple dimensions including digital inclusion, mobile payment adoption, digital self-efficacy, and age-friendly digital design. Based on these findings, they proposed actionable optimization strategies. These contributions provide both theoretical support and practical guidance for advancing digital education for the elderly, accelerating age-friendly digital transformation, and safeguarding digital rights for older populations—laying a solid academic foundation for building an inclusive and elder-friendly digital society.

• • Forum 2: Elderly Health Management and Care Needs

The second sub-forum, themed “Elderly Health Management and Care Needs,” was moderated and reviewed in the morning by Ms. Jiao Keyuan from ECUST and Associate Professor Yang Fan from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. In the afternoon, the session was led by Associate Professor Liang Kun, Deputy Director of the MSW Education Center at ECUST and Vice President of the Shenzhen Social Workers Association, along with Ms. Ge Ling from Beijing University of Technology.

In the morning session, Associate Professor Yang Fan applied the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Social Ecological Model (SEM) in a quasi-experimental study on cognitive impairment risk communication among seniors over 65 in Shanghai communities. The results showed that structured communication was significantly more effective than unstructured methods, and SEM-based strategies were particularly effective for Chinese elderly populations.

Zhang Qiuxia, founder of the Xingfu Haima Elderly Service Center in Putuo District, Shanghai, analyzed institutional practices through a life-course perspective, examining the “technology–life course coupling.” Mr. Su Zexi used latent profile analysis to identify three digital literacy profiles among Chinese seniors and found significant differences in physical and mental health across these groups, emphasizing the importance of digital literacy in promoting healthy aging.

Researcher Elifira Akpar explored the relationship between digital technology use, health literacy, and mental health among older adults. Scholar Zhang Rui reviewed policy trends and current applications of elderly care technologies in Japan, analyzing their ethical implications and risks from a caregiving perspective.

In the afternoon session, Ms. Ge Ling used Beijing’s “One-Click Call” elderly care system as a case study to explore the dual path of technological innovation and social adaptation. Ms. Wang Juanjuan applied a cross-lagged model to examine the bidirectional relationship between social participation and cognitive function in older adults. Scholar Wang Linlan discussed responsibility-sharing in smart emergency response systems for home-based seniors. Student Liu Qian explored the relationship between informal caregiving and blood pressure, finding that informal care may have protective effects on cardiovascular health. Student Cai Yunjia studied the impact of access to adequate healthcare services on frailty risk and outcomes among Chinese seniors. Scholar Chen Qingru focused on the lived experiences and causes of social isolation among hemodialysis patients.

• • Forum 3: Aging Policy and Social Work Practice

The third sub-forum was moderated and reviewed in the morning by Ms. Li Xiao from ECUST and Ms. Tao Yu from Northeast Normal University. In the afternoon, Mr. Wang Ning from ECUST and Mr. Feng Zhixin from Sun Yat-sen University served as moderators and reviewers. Ten scholars presented on cutting-edge topics such as smart elderly care, age-friendly policies, and guardianship mechanisms, offering interdisciplinary solutions to aging challenges.

The morning session focused on the challenges of integrating technology with social work. Ms. Tao Yu used a case study of a smart elderly care facility in City C to highlight the risk of professional boundaries being eroded under intelligent systems, and proposed institutionally feasible paths for collaboration. Mr. Shao Linzhuo conducted policy text mining to construct a “Industry–Service–Society” three-dimensional framework to support the implementation of smart elderly care policies. Ms. Yu Yi critically analyzed power dynamics among multiple stakeholders in smart elderly care. Students Yang Xueru and Yang Liping, from the perspective of frontline social workers, identified operational, technical, and value-level challenges in smart elderly care platforms. Student Chen Jianying explored spatial coordination and resource-sharing mechanisms for elderly care between urban and suburban areas in megacities.

The afternoon session deepened discussions on risk governance and institutional innovation. Student Ouyang Caihong systematically reviewed the evolution of digital age-friendly policies and proposed a three-dimensional analytical framework of “governance tools–levels of action–target domains.” Student Chen Pengyu, from a notarial perspective, proposed improving the supervisory mechanism for advance directives in elderly guardianship, using legal and technological means to protect the rights of the ward. Student Wang Yanfang analyzed the power and rights dilemmas in smart aging societies from a risk governance perspective and proposed a “five-in-one” collaborative governance model. Scholar Dong Rui, using CLASS 2020 data, revealed unmet community elderly service needs and their influencing factors, finding a non-positive correlation between GDP and service satisfaction. Scholar Sun Dihua, from a sociotechnical perspective, constructed a “technology–institutio

Theme：Developing a Smart, Healthy Eldercare Course

Venue: Hefei University of Technology
Topic: What digital competency do social work students need in practice?
Moderator: Honglin Chen, Hui Yang
Panel participants: Gao Qinlin, Wang Jing, Mo Lin, Mi Li, Xiaohui Zhong

Aug 05-07, 2024

Joensuu & Kuopio, Finland

The International Conference on “Technological Evolution and the Ageing Era: Exploring Opportunities, Innovations, and Emerging Practices ” organized by the Department of Social Sciences, Social Research Center for Welfare Technology, University of Eastern Finland.

Conference Theme

The conference is dedicated to nurturing collaboration and innovation within the realm of welfare technology, with a keen emphasis on seizing opportunities, fostering innovative approaches, and instigating new practices. We extend our invitation to researchers, industry luminaries, non-profit organizations, doctoral candidates, and all relevant stakeholders, encouraging a collective exploration, discussion, and advancement of technological solutions aimed at augmenting the well-being of the elderly population.

We collected submissions of papers across a broad spectrum of topics, including but not limited to:

– Pioneering technologies tailored for old age care

– Digital innovations geared towards enhancing the quality of life in old age

– Assistive technologies designed to aid older adults with cognitive impairments

– Ethical considerations inherent in the development and deployment of welfare technology

– Examination of policy implications and regulatory frameworks within ageing societies

– Case studies and exemplars showcasing best practices in the domain of welfare technology

 

This conference, held at the Joensuu and Kuopio campuses of the University of Eastern Finland, attracted academic researchers, industry leaders, non-profit organization staff, and graduate students from Finland, China, the Czech Republic, and Korea. Participants explored and discussed technological solutions aimed at improving the welfare of the elderly. The conference covered multiple academic fields, with experts discussing topics from the perspectives of business management, data science, social sciences, ethics, and education. Key discussions included technology integration, assistive technology practices, technological innovations and interventions, social dynamics in elderly care, as well as empowerment and sustainable development.

Business management is crucial in providing elderly welfare services but faces numerous challenges and risks. The team from Kyungpook National University highlighted how technology startups can enhance their sustainability by strengthening their psychological capital and core competencies. They emphasized the importance of support from external networks and government funding. Meanwhile, the business department at the University of Eastern Finland explored the ethical issues associated with applying technological advances in care. They focused on how “trust” shapes effective cooperation between technology, people, and organizations.

The conference also spotlighted the application of technology in rehabilitation and health monitoring. Four scholars from Hefei University of Technology introduced their research on multimodal fusion methods for depression detection and the use of machine learning in gait prediction and rehabilitation equipment recommendation, showcasing the potential of technology to improve medical device design. Korean scholars demonstrated a new medical information system that assists in monitoring and preventing falls, pressure ulcers, and mental health issues in elderly patients.

The social sciences perspective is vital for understanding the social and cultural impacts of technology in elderly care. Researchers from the University of Ostrava in the Czech Republic presented how the PARO robot can reduce loneliness among the elderly in nursing homes, along with their upcoming experimental design. Additionally, a researcher from the University of Helsinki used data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to reveal the relationship between the use of assistive devices, their chosen types, and the decline in cognitive function among the elderly. A collaborative study between Fudan University and the University of Eastern Finland reviewed the application and effectiveness of assistive technologies in supporting elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of technology.

The practical application of technology in social and community settings was another key focus. A research team from Fudan University studied the decision-making processes in five communities in Shanghai using network analysis methods, discussing power structures at the community level and their impact on policy implementation. They also explored how elderly people in China form co-creation intentions in online communities using mixed research methods.

The use of technology necessitates talent empowerment and sustainable development considerations. The head of the Joensuu Housing Association in Finland introduced a project assessing technology in elderly service housing in Joensuu, demonstrating how the project evaluated the use of technology and enhanced living and care services for the elderly through technological advancements. Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland discussed the need to enhance digital competencies among gerontological social workers in China, emphasizing the essential skills and knowledge needed in education and practice.

These insightful presentations provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of how technology can improve the quality of life for the elderly from various perspectives. The conference also included site visits and interactive sessions, offering attendees firsthand experiences of the latest technological advancements. The successful hosting of this conference provided valuable academic and practical resources for addressing global aging issues, fostering international cooperation and knowledge exchange, and offering profound insights into future directions of research and practical applications in elderly welfare technology.

– Case studies and exemplars showcasing best practices in the domain of welfare technology

 

This conference, held at the Joensuu and Kuopio campuses of the University of Eastern Finland, attracted academic researchers, industry leaders, non-profit organization staff, and graduate students from Finland, China, the Czech Republic, and Korea. Participants explored and discussed technological solutions aimed at improving the welfare of the elderly. The conference covered multiple academic fields, with experts discussing topics from the perspectives of business management, data science, social sciences, ethics, and education. Key discussions included technology integration, assistive technology practices, technological innovations and interventions, social dynamics in elderly care, as well as empowerment and sustainable development.

Business management is crucial in providing elderly welfare services but faces numerous challenges and risks. The team from Kyungpook National University highlighted how technology startups can enhance their sustainability by strengthening their psychological capital and core competencies. They emphasized the importance of support from external networks and government funding. Meanwhile, the business department at the University of Eastern Finland explored the ethical issues associated with applying technological advances in care. They focused on how “trust” shapes effective cooperation between technology, people, and organizations.

The conference also spotlighted the application of technology in rehabilitation and health monitoring. Four scholars from Hefei University of Technology introduced their research on multimodal fusion methods for depression detection and the use of machine learning in gait prediction and rehabilitation equipment recommendation, showcasing the potential of technology to improve medical device design. Korean scholars demonstrated a new medical information system that assists in monitoring and preventing falls, pressure ulcers, and mental health issues in elderly patients.

The social sciences perspective is vital for understanding the social and cultural impacts of technology in elderly care. Researchers from the University of Ostrava in the Czech Republic presented how the PARO robot can reduce loneliness among the elderly in nursing homes, along with their upcoming experimental design. Additionally, a researcher from the University of Helsinki used data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to reveal the relationship between the use of assistive devices, their chosen types, and the decline in cognitive function among the elderly. A collaborative study between Fudan University and the University of Eastern Finland reviewed the application and effectiveness of assistive technologies in supporting elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of technology.

The practical application of technology in social and community settings was another key focus. A research team from Fudan University studied the decision-making processes in five communities in Shanghai using network analysis methods, discussing power structures at the community level and their impact on policy implementation. They also explored how elderly people in China form co-creation intentions in online communities using mixed research methods.

The use of technology necessitates talent empowerment and sustainable development considerations. The head of the Joensuu Housing Association in Finland introduced a project assessing technology in elderly service housing in Joensuu, demonstrating how the project evaluated the use of technology and enhanced living and care services for the elderly through technological advancements. Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland discussed the need to enhance digital competencies among gerontological social workers in China, emphasizing the essential skills and knowledge needed in education and practice.

These insightful presentations provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of how technology can improve the quality of life for the elderly from various perspectives. The conference also included site visits and interactive sessions, offering attendees firsthand experiences of the latest technological advancements. The successful hosting of this conference provided valuable academic and practical resources for addressing global aging issues, fostering international cooperation and knowledge exchange, and offering profound insights into future directions of research and practical applications in elderly welfare technology.

UEF Social Research Center for Welfare Technology and Young Universities for the Future Europe (YUFE) are offering an open source “Welfare Technology Innovation and Application in Digital Age” -course for doctoral students. The course’s aim is to help doctoral students:

• • Identify how technology can assist care giver networks in maintaining independence in their homes

• • Understand today and future’s aging population and how technology can enhance health and independence

• • Understand issues surrounding privacy and the ethical protection of the rights of older adults

• • Understand the ways we are and can reinvent fitness, healthcare, ubiquitous and pervasive computing, and social networking, especially for older adults.

• • Become familiar with research on various applications, examples, and considerations of gerotechnology, and its relationship with human being

• • Be able to research and evaluate the potential of a specific gerontechnology application for an entrepreneurial business plan according to possible field study and scenario investigations

• • Identify the steps, people, legislation and capital that will be needed to realize services and technologies to accommodate changing needs of older adults

• • Identify how technology can assist care giver networks in maintaining independence in their homes