The research project examines older adults’ service pathways to social work and explores how professionals’ tasks, division of labour, and collaboration are shaped at different stages of these pathways. These questions are approached through three theoretical lenses: accessibility, space, and social advocacy.
The focus is particularly on the boundaries and blind spots that may arise in the construction of service pathways. The aim is to understand how gerontological social workers themselves perceive their possibilities for action and how they see their position within the service pathways for older adults, and whether gerontological social work itself has become more marginalized with the transition to wellbeing services counties. By ‘blind spots,’ we refer to situations in which an older person in need of help is not adequately recognized by professionals or from the perspective of legislation, or is directed onto an inappropriate or sideline path within the service system. The project examines such blind spots in access to services and rights within wellbeing services counties and local government collaboration areas.
The project is led by Professor Laura Kalliomaa-Puha from Tampere University and Professor Heli Valokivi from the University of Jyväskylä. From the Social Work discipline at Tampere University, the researchers Tyyne Ylinen and Satu Ylinen are involved. At the University of Jyväskylä, the project team includes University Researcher Paula Vasara, Postdoctoral Researcher Hilla Kiuru, Project Researcher Andrea Lorenz-Wende, and Doctoral Researcher Sini Tiihonen, as well as Research Assistant Henna Uimonen from the Social Work discipline and Lead Social Worker from the Central Finland Wellbeing Services County/Project Researcher Taina Miettinen.
The project is carried out in collaboration with Wellbeing Services Counties of Central Finland, Pirkanmaa, and Kanta-Häme, as well as with Tampere University Hospital TAYS and Hospital Nova. The diaconal work of the Jyväskylä and Hämeenlinna–Vanaja parishes is also involved.
Funding
People
Laura Kalliomaa-Puha
Professor, (sosiaalioikeus)Co-operators
University of Jyväskylä, Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland, The Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, The Wellbeing Services County of Kanta-Häme, The Jyväskylä parish, The Hämeenlinna-Vanaja parish
Contact persons
Laura Kalliomaa-Puha
Professor, (sosiaalioikeus)
