The project Hátindur 60+
The project Hátindur 60+
The project is an innovation and development initiative serving the residents of Fjallabyggð aged 60 and older. It is a collaborative effort between Fjallabyggð, the Health Institution of North Iceland (HSN), the Association of Municipalities, the Economic Development of Northeast Iceland (SSNE), and the Health and Welfare Cluster of North Iceland (Veltek). The project has been named Hátindur 60+. Through a joint statement of cooperation, the above-mentioned entities have committed to working together on the development, innovation, and implementation of technology in health and welfare services specifically for the 60+ age group.
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment have played a significant role in initiating the project. The Minister of Social Affairs provided substantial support, while the Ministry of Health has been directly involved in the project.
The objectives of the project include:
- Integrating social services and home care
- Flexible day care and training opportunities
- Health promotion
- Mental well-being
- Innovation and technological development
The aim is to create a modern, sustainable, and welfare-enhancing service for the residents of Fjallabyggð. Diverse projects will be undertaken under the agreements made with various professional bodies. Cross-sector collaboration between social and health services is fundamental to achieving synergistic effects of expertise in each field and thereby ensuring better service for the growing population.
The system will be tailored to meet the needs of users, such as integrating services that contribute to enabling older individuals to live longer at home, ensuring both safety and social aspects. This will create more flexibility to utilize human resources, financial support, and infrastructure more efficiently.
Another aspect of the project is to engage the younger 60-67 age group, who are still in the labor market, by offering courses, lectures, and events to promote and strengthen both their physical and social well-being.
The project is divided into three phases:
Phase 1: Introducing and developing services and collaboration. This phase involves testing technology and organizational solutions, documenting work processes and workflows. The transformation of spaces is a prerequisite for reorganizing the utilization of human resources and funding, day training, testing and utilizing welfare technology equipment, project management and dissemination, establishing and signing cooperation agreements, service definitions and handbooks, launching outbound and remote services.
Phase 2: Expanding services to neighboring or selected municipalities, e.g. in the field of outbound services, emergency response and safety devices, sharing experiences, and participating in adapting to new operational areas/municipalities within the district plan area (Northeast Iceland).
Phase 3: Consolidating and adapting operations in the municipality and with stakeholders. In this phase, the aim is to consolidate the project and adapt it in the municipality and with stakeholders. Knowledge dissemination, both nationally and internationally, participation in Nordic cooperation projects, and implementing new and improved forms of welfare services in rural areas.
This project is vital to achieving a modern, sustainable, and secure welfare service for elderly residents in Fjallabyggð and addressing the needs of a significantly expanding elderly population in the country. Collaboration and interdisciplinary context are essential to improving services, efficiently utilizing human resources and funding. Activating and empowering the younger 60-67 age group can also help enhance their physical and social well-being and contribute to the overall betterment of society.