Living room activities for senior citizens will continue after the Christmas break on 13 January – Siskot ja Simot ry will continue to be involved as a service provider
The living room activities for senior citizens organised by the municipality of Tuusula will continue as usual after the Christmas break, starting on Monday 13 January.
Living room activities for senior citizens are organised as follows:
- Mondays in Mäntymäki from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Luurikuja 1, Tuusula
- Tuesdays at Kustaa Aadolf House, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Koulutie 12, Kellokoski
- Wednesdays at Ester Matilda House from 2 to 4 p.m., Konduktöörinkuja 2, Jokela
- Thursdays at the Kalliopohja club room from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Kalliopohjantie 5C, Hyrylä, entrance via door C, located in the basement, stairs to the room
- Fridays in Riihikallio from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Pellavamäentie 5–7, Tuusula.
Living rooms for older people are relaxed meeting places for older people in Tuusula, where low-threshold activities are organised and visitors can come without prior booking or registration. The living rooms are politically and religiously neutral and open to everyone. As a rule, the activities in the living rooms are free of charge. In addition to relaxed socialising, the living rooms offer activities such as crafts, bingo, chair exercises and other enjoyable activities. In addition, visitors come to the living rooms to talk about current topics.
The living room activities for older people expanded the meeting place activities for older people and have been warmly welcomed.
Meeting places for older people are organised in Tuusula by the municipality, the Tuusula parish and various organisations. The aim of the meeting places is to strengthen the participation and sense of community among visitors in Tuusula and to reduce feelings of loneliness.The number of
meeting places for older people increased in January 2024 when the municipality of Tuusula expanded its living room activities for older people to different parts of Tuusula. The living rooms are open five days a week for two hours: in Hyrylä, Mäntymäki and Kalliopohja, Riihikallio, Kellokoski and Jokela. Previously, living room activities were only available in Kalliopohja, where they had been trialled as part of a communal living project for elderly people, says Development Manager Heidi Hagman.
During 2024, there was also a desire to map out the need for living room activities for older people, the concept and the implementation method with a view to continuing the activities. A service satisfaction survey was conducted among visitors to the living room activities in August 2024. A total of 73 responses
were received.The trial concept has been successful, reaching around 90–100 elderly people across Tuusula every week. According to the survey, living room customers are very satisfied or satisfied with the living room activities. The respondents felt very welcome in the living rooms, which means that we have succeeded in bringing people together, Hagman says happily.
“Respondents considered the most important factors for their well-being to be being together, the proximity of the living rooms to their homes, socialising with other visitors, and the varied programme organised at the living rooms,” Hagman continues.
The responses highlighted the importance of social interaction with other visitors to the living room and the significance of being together. The living room activities have brought joy and variety to the daily lives of elderly people living alone in particular. Many respondents mentioned that the living room activities were the highlight of their week, something they always looked forward to. The varied programme keeps them interested and their minds active. The living room activity leaders also received praise for their enthusiasm, inspiration, cheerfulness and attentiveness.
Siskot ja Simot ry to continue as a provider of living room activities
As the living room activities for older people expanded, there was also a desire to find out whether these activities could be carried out in cooperation with an association in the future. The matter had already been explored in 2023 when planning the activities, but no suitable partner organisation was found at that time
.In autumn 2024, the continuation and organisation of the living room activities for older people were explored, and negotiations were held with various associations. As a result of the negotiations, the living room activities will be carried out in cooperation with the Siskot ja Simot association from January 2025 onwards. The municipality of Tuusula will continue to be responsible for the costs incurred by the activities, explains Development Manager Heidi Hagman.
– The Siskot ja Simot organisation is excited to begin hosting and organising living room activities in Tuusula. This is a new addition to the organisation’s activities aimed at reducing loneliness. The living room activities will continue largely as usual, but we will spice things up with encounters between people from different backgrounds and caring activities, which are typical of Siskot ja Simot, says Hanna Simola, Executive Director of the Siskot ja Simot organisation.
“The living rooms will continue to operate as usual, and we warmly welcome all old and new visitors to the living rooms,” Hagman encourages.
Further information:
Tuusula Municipality
Development Manager Heidi Hagman, heidi.hagman@tuusula.fi, 040 314 3052
Community Manager Katja Repo, katja.repo@tuusula.fi, 040 314 3048
Siskot ja Simot ry
Executive Director Hanna Simola, hanna.simola@siskotjasimot.fi, 044 242 7751
This content has been translated using AI