Foibe on its way towards an electronic operating system

The Diakonia’s foundation Foibe is a foundation which does social and healthcare work, founded by a group of parishes of Vantaa in 1989. It is a not-for-profit entity that operates as a service provider for the elderly and disabled. The foundation employs 120 people.

Foibe offers intensive residential services in group homes for which there is a total of 114 places. Altogether about 220 people live in the foundation’s group homes and service houses, which are either rented or owned. Other types of services include physiotherapy for private individuals and groups. Furthermore, a restaurant at the service location is available for lunch, and event reservations are available. Home care services are based on a customer-friendly operation to ensure safe and prompt care.

The aim of the day services is to maintain the vitality and level of activity of the elderly through diversified leisure activities. An example of such activity is teaching computer usage to senior citizens, which has been organized since 1996.

Groundbreaking activity

Already since its establishment Foibe has been a pioneering organization in the field of elder care. One example of this is Sävelsirkun, audio programs and computer networks utilized as tools for stimulating and rehabilitative work with the elderly. Also, the use of welfare TV at Foibe has succeeded beyond all expectations. The Welfare Television objective is to promote the welfare of aged people with a two-way visual connection. The project is part of the Laurea Vocational College’s Eeva (preventative elderly services) project. The Foibe academy’s aim is to again gather together experts and those interested in topical themes. Foibe is also involved in international activities, such as an EU project which focuses on Grundtvig’s Learning in Late Life theory.

Build E-Operating System – development program participation

Building an electronic operating system is a natural extension of the quality work done in a sophisticated organization. The construction was stimulated by an IMS Business Solutions seminar on health and social services, where Foibe leaders became acquainted with the IMS system, as well as with its practical client applications.

Inspired by the seminar, Foibe leaders decided to send representatives to the nine-day Build e-Operating System course, the goal of which is to build a certification-ready system for use by the entire organization. The way in which theory and practical exercises are combined in the course has been viewed as working well. Visiting days to the IMS Business Solutions office have been identified as especially valuable. During these days it is possible to focus more precisely on customers’ specific questions, and clear results have arisen from this.

The course schedule has been appropriate, and intermediate assignments have served the construction of a comprehensive package, according to Foibe course participants Eliina Päällysaho and Eija Nykänen. The next job for the women will be to train users at their own organization to use the software and present the content of the operating system to the organization’s board of directors.