Developing Resident Services in the Apartment Building Village

The goal of the Developing Resident Services in the Apartment Building Village project is to find new types of solutions to meet the service needs of residents of housing cooperatives on Itätuulenkuja located in Tapiola in Espoo. The goal is to create a safe, easy to use, and flexible service model, which offers different types of services that support living at home to residents.

The intention of the preliminary study is to gather background information for piloting the Developing Resident Services in the Apartment Building Village project. More specifically, the preliminary study researches what type of service innovation is to be used to meet the growing need for services for senior residents as well as what types of service needs do the residents of housing cooperatives of Itätuulenkuja have. The material of the preliminary study is based on a survey of Itätuulenkuja housing cooperative residents, interviews of experts on senior citizen resident needs, and Internet searches seeking national service innovation activities.

The Developing Resident Services in the Apartment Building Village project has a timely goal. Reaching this goal requires cooperation with other counterparts associated with senior citizen services. There are several different potential cooperation partners. In addition, the City of Espoo offers a stimulating operating environment for the project.

In reference to implementing the Developing Resident Services in the Apartment Building Village project, resident surveys identify a positive attitude toward the use of services. Residents are ready to invest in maintaining their health and well-being by purchasing different types of services. Making the services available from a single location is strongly supported by the respondents. A service-provider that brokers services from a single location can be used to eliminate obstacles associated with obtaining services by clarifying granting of public services, making it easier for senior citizens to obtain information and guidance regarding services, identifying different types of customer needs, and by supporting the development of the services offered by service-providers so that they better meet customer needs.

Service costs will create a challenge for carrying out the apartment building project. The costs of services obtained from outside the household are seen as high. Based on the criticism of the prices for the services, the conclusion can be made that the costs incurred from service brokerage activities should be primarily covered using fees charged from other counterparts participating in the activities.

Another challenge is created by the attitudes of the potential service customers. Home is seen as a private area, where outsiders are not to be allowed access to. One of the challenges of the apartment building project will be to reinforce the positive images associated with services in the home. A further challenge for the project is that doing household chores is seen as therapy that maintains one’s capability to function. External services are not sought until people are unable to do their chores themselves due to physical limitations or illness.

PUBLICATION
Helena Tuorila. Developing Resident Services in the Apartment Building Village – Preliminary study. Publications 2/2009.

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