Press release and image report conference Lahti, Finland
New insights improve care for vulnerable people: European collaboration in Lahti, Finland
Lahti, Finland - Funded by the European Union's INTERREG programme, partners from the NEAR project have gathered in the Finnish city of Lahti to discuss approaches to strengthening vulnerable people’s agency to improve person-centred care.
Central to this partner meeting was the question how patients perceive their own role and ability to steer the journey of their care path, and how this influenced by their personal environment. During the meeting, professionals from Spain, Czech Republic, Finland, Belgium and Italy discussed regional approaches to care and support for persons with mental disabilities, psychological suffering, or psychological needs.
“In the longer term, the NEAR project aims to improve regional development policies in the field of family and community-centered care. By supporting regions in developing, strenghtening or refining their care models the exchanges entail a shift from an expert-oriented approach to an approach of guidance, support, direction and motivation, allowing citizens to fulfil new roles,” explains Tereza Havelkova, project leader for NEAR in Czech Republic.
Hosted by the the Finnish partners, the international delegation visited healthcare institutions and university research units, entering in discussions with political leaders in Lahti, a city that strongly invests in international cooperation.
“It is a great honour to introduce all those colleagues to the Finnish approach. They give us good feedback, make us think about what could be done differently or better and take valuable inspiration home with them,” says Emma Rautava, the Finnish project manager for NEAR.
“This international collaboration offers a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals to learn from each other and develop joint strategies that lead to more integrated and person-centered care for vulnerable people”, Itziar Herrero Larrea points out. She represents the government of Navarra in Spain, the lead partner in this journey. “The next partner meeting will be held in Belgium between October 11th and 18th. We look forward to learning about practices in the Flemish region by the name of Rivierenland (land of rivers)”
