Joel Holmén started as the Medical Advisor of VideoVisit Oy on 1 st of April 2020. He is a doctor who specializes in psychiatry and also a doctoral researcher who has worked several years with geriatric psychiatry at the Turku University Hospital. Joel has acquired an extensive expertise in geriatric mental health care as well as using technology to support treatment.
The doctor from Turku is familiar with online appointments. Joel Holmén has taken part in developing an online appointment service for the Geriatric Psychiatry Unit of Tyks in which VideoVisit® HOME Virtual Care Service was introduced in early 2019. In Southwest Finland, elderly people often live in remote areas and have difficulty accessing, for example, municipal health care services. Remote home care is a way to speed up the hospital discharge process and provide more effective services to a patient’s home. In particular, online appointments have been used by the Intensive Geriatric Outpatient Care at Tyks. According to Joel’s experience, remote home care is well suited for the elderly. It is important that the solution is simple enough and enough time is spent teaching how to use the device.
It is easy to learn how to use the device because the patient does not need to know much. We wanted a window to the elderly people’s homes through which we could talk with them. That is why VideoVisit® was introduced at Tyks.
JOEL HOLMÉN
Medical Advisor, VideoVisit Oy
An interest towards health technology has taken Joel Holmén forward in his life. He has been founding and developing a company that implemented virtual reality technology to help doctors in operating rooms. In addition, Joel is involved in a start-up company that designs smart robot rollators for the elderly. Currently Joel is interested in utilizing remote technology and finding new solutions for geriatric psychiatry treatment.
Mental health problems of the elderly are often overlooked. Good mental health is a prerequisite for human well-being. Joel Holmén says that in Finland society is not prepared for mental health challenges of the elderly, such as the treatment of depression. Access to mental health care in primary health care has decreased and resources have been reduced. Too many elderly people are left without the care they need. For example, Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland) does not provide reimbursement for rehabilitative psychotherapy treatment of elderly people over the age of 67 years as mental health services are targeted at young people and people of working age. “It has been studied that psychotherapy is beneficial for the elderly. Depression is often driven by the feeling of loneliness,” says Holmén.
According to Joel, untreated mental health problems of the elderly are reflected in home care and other services used by the elderly. It manifests itself in greater number of more severely symptomatic patients. The quality of life of the elderly could be improved by providing low-threshold services and improving access to and the speed of care.
Specializing in geriatric psychiatry, Doctor Holmén is concerned about the mental health of the elderly. The elderly population has been the most severely affected by the isolation guidelines due to the epidemic. The elderly people have been prohibited from relatives visiting and therefore their human contact has drastically reduced. The lives of both those living at home and those living in service homes have become more lonely. Many miss connecting with family and friends.
The state of emergency causes worry, sadness, fear, insecurity and anxiety. Isolation, impaired communication with both caregivers and loved ones, and the lack of presence affect mental well-being.
JOEL HOLMÉN
Medical Advisor, VideoVisit Oy
Concern about people’s mental resilience has become an increasingly topical issue. The Finnish government launched the Finland Forward (Suomi toimii) campaign in April this year. One of its main purposes is to support the mental health of its citizens. Underlying is the concern about the mental resilience and survival of Finns during and after the crisis.
Juhana Ojala, the CEO of VideoVisit Oy, sees Joel Holmén’s joining the VideoVisit Advisor Board as very positive news in terms of developing new services.
Mental health problems of the elderly is often an area that receives far too little attention. The effects of the COVID-19 epidemic will be reflected globally, especially in the growing demand for elderly mental health services. Joel’s joining our team strengthens VideoVisit’s ability to meet this challenge by developing new remote home care services and service models specifically targeted at mental health services for the elderly. Joel is one of Finland’s leading experts in the digitization of geriatric psychiatry, hence joining our Advisor Board is great and a significant step for our organization.
JUHANA OJALA
CEO, VideoVisit Oy
Yellow wooden house and an apple orchard
The doctor’s free time is spent on yard and garden work. The yellow house and the magnificent ten apple trees in the yard keep Joel and his wife busy. In addition to yard work, Joel is pursuing a master’s degree in artificial intelligence at the Department of Future Technologies at the University of Turku. The video interview was conveyed by a warm-hearted and positive doctor who enthusiastically spoke about the future outlook.
More information
Joel Holmén
Medical Advisor, VideoVisit Oy
joel.holmen@videovisit.fi
Juhana Ojala
CEO, VideoVisit Oy
juhana.ojala@videovisitglobal.com
