CREATOR newsletter #3

News
No 3 • March 2012
SUB-PROJECT RESULTS
INTRODUCING MR. TIMO SAVINIEMI,
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER, HÄME.
ENSURE - A
database of senior
experts
New
collaborations to
find best practices
5 questions for
Mr. Timo Saviniemi,
Steering
Committee
member, Häme
SILVER ECONOMY
- Finding strategies
to match challenges
of an ageing
population
EFFECT - Sharing
innovative
wellbeing services

2
Programme manager corner
Photo Bastien Erpelding
Seven european regions have joined force,
in terms of seeing an ageing population
as an opportunity to regional economic
development. CREATOR mini-programme
provides unique opportunities to search for
new possibilities by learning from each
other and finding solutions together.
Projects in cooperation
Within four years CREATOR will implement
seven projects with at least three cooperative
participants/organisations from three
participating regions.
Needs of an ageing population
Projects shall concern the possibilities
emerging from the needs of an ageing
population, for instance innovations, products
and services or be related to
an increasing cooperation between the
private and public sector in producing well
being services.
Policy strategies
Final results will include recommendations
and guidelines to design policy responses to
demographic change.
Cooperating regions:
Västerbotten Sweden, Häme Finland,
Wielkopolska Poland, Lorraine France,
Brescia Italy, Asturias Spain,
North Hungary, Hungary
www.creator7.eu
A lot has happened since our last newsletter. Seven sub-project are approved and up and running.
Some have come half way while others are just starting up. It will certainly be interesting to see all
of the sub-projects finalize their ideas and their possible effects. Details on all sub-projects can be
found in this issue.
CREATOR has also come half-way and we are making arrangements for our mid-term evaluation
which will take place in the spring. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day work
and overlook the objective. Therefore this evaluation is so important, are we on the right track?
And while I am confident, by the end of May we will know for sure.
Other exciting news is that the Joint Technical Secretariat in Lille has launched an online reporting
system and I think all INTERREG IVC projects and mini-programmes are happy to move away from
the old excel sheets. The online form allows for partner contribution is a completely different way
than the excel-document and I am excited to use it now for the first time.
Another thing I am excited about is the 4th workshop in Poznan, which will be an opportunity
for sub-projects to test their good practices. Experts and senior citizens will be invited and will
have their say. Just like you may get caught up in your day-to-day routine, it’s also easy to forget
who these sub-projects are intended to facilitate for, the elderly. I look forward to yet an inspiring
workshop.
Finally, I want to welcome Elhame Maziz from the regional council of Lorrain back to CREATOR.
She has been on sick leave for almost a year we are all happy that she is feeling better and that she
is back!
With hopes of an inspiring spring,
Nr 3 • mars 2012
Text and layout: Mariann Holmberg
Publisher: CREATOR Interreg IVC
mini-programme, by
the County Administrative Board of
Västerbotten
Susanna Lantz
Project manager CREATOR

3
Häme - Economic growth while
its population is ageing
Häme is a region in southern Finland situated
only an hour from the country’s capital, Helsinki.
It is a historical region where some of the oldest
settlements in Finland are found. The capital of
the region, Hämeenlinna, is the oldest inland
town in Finland and was founded in 1639. The
region has over 174,000 inhabitants and an area
of about 5,700 square kilometres. The population
has increased during the last ten years
and this trend is expected to continue. The
population is older compared with the national
average. The region (NUTS 3) is itself divided
into three sub-regions (NUTS 4) and into 11
municipalities.
During the past couple of years the region experienced
strong economic growth, primarily in
the industry and service sectors, largely due to
the region’s central location in Finland. Industry
in Häme is mainly oriented to the domestic
market. The main industries are metal, food and
mechanical wood processing. Other significant,
developing sectors are tourism, digital business,
well being, the culture industry and environmental
technology. Most of the enterprises
are quite small and the public sector plays an
important role as a big employer. The unemployment
rate was 9 percent in 2011, roughly
the same as the national average. Regional GDP
per capita was calculated at € 26,500 in 2009.
Häme in CREATOR
Finland was one of the first countries in Europe
to be faced with the challenge of an ageing
population. It is very important to confront
this and to seek solutions together with other
regions of Europe by learning from one other.
As the region is not very internationalized at
present, CREATOR provides an excellent opportunity
for regional actors to become involved in
international co-operation. This serves as good
preparation for the next EU-programme period,
starting from 2014.
SUOMI
FINLAND
5 questions for Mr. Timo Saviniemi,
Steering Committee member, Häme
Häme
• What do you think about the future as a senior in Häme? What is the reality?
Although Häme has economic growth, it is an ageing region at present.
It is very important to pay attention to the quality of life of elderly people
now and in the future. There is going to be a great deal of pressure on
decision makers at state, regional and municipal level to organise all the
required services for the increasing, ageing population. The emphasis
should be increasingly on preventive care and services. I think in the future
people will be increasingly responsible for their own health. So things
like health-related sports and healthy ways of living are very important for
everyone, not only for the senior citizens.
• How would you like the young generation to think about their
future in Häme?
I feel that young people in Häme think positively about their future. It is
very important to educate oneself and to have a positive, active and even
somewhat curious approach to the future. As we don’t have own university,
many young people leave the region to educate themselves elsewhere
in Finland or abroad, and I encourage people to do so in the future as well.
It is our job in the Regional Council, together with the municipalities, to
develop interesting possibilities for working and living in our region in
order to attract these young people to come back some day with more
experience and competence.
• How could CREATOR contribute to positive development in Häme?
Our region is not very internationalised if you compare it with the other
regions in Finland. Therefore, I see CREATOR as a very useful way of encouraging
organisations and people to be more active on international
platforms. I think CREATOR, as a mini-programme, offers the organisations
in our region a shortcut to international development projects.
This is a very important aspect when preparing the region and its
actors for the next programming period which starts from 2014.
Another important aspect is that CREATOR provides possibilities for
exchanging and benchmarking practices and models related to the
challenges of the ageing population between the seven European
regions. This benchmarking and exchanging of good practices can
help us in our development work in the region in many ways. At best,
it provides us with new ways of thinking and different views on the
challenges and especially the solutions.
• What are your personal expectations as a future senior?
I would like to have a safe, active, healthy life as a senior citizen together
with my family, and to see my children grow up. My dream is to
retire some day, as being an entrepreneur, retirement is not as obvious
as it probably is for other people.
• What are the best things about living in Häme?
There are many good things in Häme, but I think the best thing is the
clean, rich natural countryside environment. In a Finnish dimension,
our region has an excellent location. The biggest cities of Finland are
only one hour away from our region and with the present good logistic
connections we are easily reachable. The region also offers many
different possible ways of living in the cities and the rural areas.

4
ENSURE - A database of senior experts
Ensure wants to take advantage of elderly’s
knowledge and expertise and store it in a community
website for seniors.
Elderly people want to function as active
members of society. According to some studies,
the maturity generation (people aged 43-63)
increasingly feel that they should contribute to
social cohesion. Thus, they focus on economic
activity, and they also consider other kinds
of activity important, whether paid or not,
because various unspecified activities can be
useful for the individual and society alike.
Consequently, the project is operating in the
area of emerging businesses; business ideas
which provide opportunities for active participation
by people in this age group, in harmony
with their own needs, in aiding the orientation
of company product or service development.
This could involve substantial emphasis on the
health industry, recreation and IT.
It is important that people in this target group,
which is increasing, should help the younger
generation, actively rather than passively, while
retaining their own goals and needs.
Aim
Our “ENSURE” project is intended to map out,
collect, organize and utilize the knowledge,
expertise, experience and competence that
are unique for elderly people (aged 55+) who
have some decades of work behind them. Our
main aim is to establish a database of senior
experts that can link to the needs of companies,
authorities, training organizations and other
stakeholders who wish to use such expertise.
We also intend to represent the social and
mental needs of the elderly, giving them the
opportunity of being more active and beneficial
for the younger generation.
Results
The most important result of the project would
be a community web site for seniors, incorporating
their professional experience, which can
be viewed by companies and other stakeholders,
and also provide possibilities of creating
social networks and free-time activities.
We started our project implementation with a
mapping and needs analysis in the participating
countries. In parallel with this, a communication
plan was prepared together with a promotional
kit, because in this project, communication
plays a very important role, both in recruiting
the target group and in dissemination activities.
In all the participating countries, the partners
organize interactive forums for stakeholders,
and Focus Group meetings with senior experts
every three months. The results of the needs
analysis and the meetings and forums will help
create a well-structured online database on our
website, which will be the core result of the EN-
SURE project. After data has been collected and
the database tested operationally, an international
conference will be organized in Hungary
to conclude the project.
The ENSURE project comprises participants
from: North Hungary, Asturias, Brescia, and
Wielkopolska.
Leader of the project:
Tibor Bodnár, Project Manager
Local Enterprise Agency, North-Hungary
bodnar.tibor@hmvk.hu,
+36 36 410 724

5
SILVER ECONOMY - Finding strategies to match
challenges of an ageing population
The increasing proportion of people in the
population aged over 50 have new values which
define this so-called “new old” generation. It is a
recognised social fact that more of them, both in
number and relatively, continue to live in their
own homes but with limited mobility, dexterity
and mental capacity. This has encouraged the
search for new products, innovative service and
aids for general well-being as a concept to fit the
needs of this generation.
Background
Recent developments in electronics have
increased the potential for assistant technology
to support people, through the use of sensors,
robotic devices and remote control devices. The
SILVER ECONOMY project is aimed at developing,
promoting and disseminating strategies
to match new challenges related to population
ageing. These especially comprise technological
services for wellbeing and health monitoring,
such as robotic assistants, electrical mobility
and health sports, including health tourism and
green care.
In this sense, electrical mobility has become
a policy priority in Europe because of the
enormous potential environmental benefit (lack
of pollution and noise) that it could bring to
society. However, the issue of how aged people
could embrace this new green mobility concept
in their lives has not yet been resolved.
Project idea
Therefore the cooperating regions are analysing
and identifying the various kinds of such
technological services that could be used by
elderly people or in related services. During
this first term we started analysing the main
technologies needed and their currently states
of development, and looking for commercially
available products.
For example, as regards robots in the home, these
are mainly are used for cleaning tasks (vacuum
robots), but there are also robots for surveillance,
lawn robots and robots used as pets (or electronic
friends) to keep their users company.
We have identified some projects, such as
NETCARITY, that propose a new integrated
paradigm to support independence and
engagement of elderly people living alone at
home. The project fosters the development of
a light technological infrastructure that can
be integrated in the homes of old people at a
reduced cost. It would provide basic support for
everyday activities, detect crucial health situations,
and provide social and psychological engagement
aimed at maintaining the emotional
well being of elderly people, enhancing dignity
and quality of life.
Health and well being have become increasingly
significant for attracting new competitive business
for regions. Interesting, attractive innovations are
often found in the interfaces of different sectors,
for example in new combinations of welfare
services. In particular, the positive effects of
exercise on human performance, motivation and
well being are indisputable, as are the extension of
working life and prevention of social exclusion.
Plans for 2012
For the next term we will make a sociological
study of the needs of elderly people in respect
of these technologies and new services, in order
to identify requirements that could be of interest
to researchers, manufactures and vendors.
The Silver Economy project comprises participants
from four different regions: Wielkopolska,
Häme, North Hungary and Asturias.
The leader of this sub-project is the region of
Asturias: Rebeca López
Fundación PRODINTEC
rlf@prodintec.com
+34 984 390 060

6
RECO - New collaborations to
find best practices
The aim of the RECO project is to enhance cooperation
between public authorities, universities
and volunteer associations, and to find best
practices for services for elderly people. The
cooperating regions will exchange ideas and
experience through study visits and workshops
in each region.
Regional activities 2011
Participants in the RECO project made study
visits in Italy and Sweden in 2011. At the meetings
we learned from each other, and the participants
from the other regions talked about
their work with elderly people and shared good
examples of this.
Several of the participating regions started the
project by conducting surveys to find out such
things as the needs, wishes and expectations of
elderly people. In Finland, they conducted a survey
of the needs and wishes of elderly people.
Nursing students interviewed 21 persons (aged
74-96). One important wish expressed was to
have a friend or company. They then arranged
events for residents of Myllymäki concerning
the wellbeing of elderly people.
The participants in Poland and Italy have also
conducted research. In Poland, they researched
the needs and expectations of people aged
50 and over, particularly in the areas of health,
culture and education, and the level of their
participation in social life. The results were
analysed and presented in a report. In Italy, an
extensive survey was conducted, 732 questionnaires
were distributed, 213 of which were then
collected door to door. The results will now be
analysed and presented.
A few of the participants have also planned
and conducted meetings and conferences. The
participants from Poland organized a meeting
with local partners, such as NGOs and public
units working on behalf of elderly people in
Poznan, as a part of the “Active 50+” fair. 42 local
partners participated in working to improve the
quality of life of elderly people. They also organized
13 public lectures. The French participant is
planning a major conference with a university in
May or June 2012. This will be an opportunity for
associations, local institutions and the professional
field of “home care people” to meet each other,
exchange good practices and discuss solutions.
Among other activities in the RECO projects, the
participants from Italy have started a diabetes
training course which will include physical activity.
In Hungary they will make a film on g ood
practice, subtitled or narrated, to be uploaded
and broadcast on a local community TV channel.
The Swedish participants have identified several
good practices which were presented at a study
visit in Umeå in November 2011, one example
being an activity centre for elderly people called
“Ågläntan” in Sävar. This is a place for elderly
people to come and meet, participate in different
activities, or just have coffee and talk. They
are also planning to start a story-telling course
as another objective of the project.
Plans for 2012
In 2012, the project participants will visit Poland
and Finland for study visits. All good practices
will be collated and presented in a document
which can be distributed in each region in various
workshops. We hope that the work we do
within RECO can inspire professionals, volunteers
and elderly people to come up with new
ideas on how to enhance the health and quality
of life of elderly people.
The leader of the project:
Birgitta Brännvall
Sävar kommundel Umeå Kommun
birgitta.brannvall@umea.se
+46 90 16 10 00

7
EFFECT - Sharing innovative wellbeing services
The EFFECT (European Efficient Wellbeing
Service Production) project has concentrated on
developing multi-producer model and customer
orientation in wellbeing services for elderly
people. The aim of the EFFECT project is to assemble
a best-practice tool kit for disseminating
good practices and experience from one region
to another.
The Effect project consists of participants from
five regions: Häme, Västerbotten, Lorraine, Asturias
and Brescia. Each participant has its own
theme: Service procurement, purchase process
(Västerbotten, Umeå), Housing, solidarity,
countering isolation, information and proximity,
mobility and accessibility (Lorraine/Metz), The
development of service companies (Asturias/
Oviedo), Supported living at home (Brescia),
Enterprise approach (Lorraine) and Cooperation
between public, private and third sector
(Häme). Each participant has collected at least
five best practices in these themes. Site visits
have been made in order to transfer best practices
inter-regionally. During the site visits, the
project was able to share first-hand knowledge
of best practices from different regions with the
site personel and the targeted elderly. Site visits
have also clarified the region’s best practices for
the other participants.
A survey of future service needs was performed
at the end of last year in the Häme region. The
Umeå municipality has worked hard in mapping
out processes involved in the procurement of
home care services and in quality check-ups of
services provided by public and private actors.
The Oviedo Chamber of Commerce has been
carrying out a specific investigation of services
and products, based on elderly people in its
region, by contacting public and private organizations
and analyzing reports and statistics.
The leader of the project:
Ria Laurila, Häme Development Centre Ltd, ria.
laurila@kehittamiskeskus.fi,
+358 50 432 7111
BIO-LIFE - Food for elderly
In tandem with the main objectives of the CREA-
TOR project, BIO LIFE aims to exchange information
about good practices regarding dietary
habits of the ageing population, and to raise
awareness with companies and other agents
which will play a key role in this by introducing
new services and products into the market in
order to meet the needs of elderly people.
After launching the project in Metz in January
2011, the BIO LIFE project team, which consisted
of eight organizations from Sweden, Spain,
Poland, Hungary, Finland and France, wasted no
time and quickly organized several lines of work.
First of all we worked on our internal and external
communication. During 2011, we made a
website and a collaborative platform on which
we can share our results and progress. We also
worked on a flyer to explain our approach; this
has been translated into every relevant language
for distribution in each region. We will produce
a newsletter to explain our progress for the next
six months. We have publicised our project and
participated in radio broadcasts in Sweden and
France, and in a seminar in Finland. We also
issued a press release for the regional press. We
will organize a symposium at the end of 2012 in
collaboration with Region Lorraine, in which we
will present our approach and results.
At the same time we have being analysing the
diet of senior citizens. For this, several courses
of action were taken during 2012. On the one
hand, a review of the available literature was
conducted to establish the regulatory situation
and nutrition. Then we studied existing
solutions and good practices in each region.
Also, we have identified the food companies in
each region that can participate in our project.
In order to obtain the most comprehensive
information on the needs and expectations
of older people, the BIO LIFE project team
produced a survey questionnaire on the diet
of elderly people in each region to identify
difficulties faced by seniors in each region. The
questionnaire was compiled by the entire team
and distributed during the second half of 2011.
The results will be collated and analysed during
the first half of 2012.
Also, during the second half of 2011, we worked
on developing a tool to identify companies in
the food industry which have the means and capacity
to innovate for the senior citizens’ market.
This tool will be tested and finalized, and will be
used in each region during 2012.
Leader of the project:
Olivier Fabre, Agria Lorraine
olivier.fabre@iaa-lorraine.fr
+33 3 383 44 08 79

SILHOUETTE - Information and
Communication Technology for elderly
The SILHOUETTE sub-project focuses on the
use of ICT technologies to support the activities
of elderly people. The project began with
the identification of the use, development and
piloting of products and services in the area
of ICT. This confirmed that ICT has become
necessary for social innovation for dealing
with the challenges of ageing.
SILHOUETTE identified over 50 uses of ICT for
the support of elderly people and for making
people of this age group more aware of ICT.
The Nordic Regions of Häme and Västerbotten
offered and developed the most advanced solutions.
These included smart cooking appliances
such as Menumat. Also, user-sensitive systems
that support daily activities and social interaction,
such as those developed by the Agnes
project; these provide opportunities for social
innovation and new business opportunities. By
contrast, the lack of ICT-based solutions in the
regions of North Hungary and Valle Sabbia (the
Brescia sub-region participating in SILHOUETTE)
shows that there are opportunities for transferring
practices between regions.
SILHOUETTE has also surveyed the needs of
various stakeholders in supporting the elderly.
The needs of the elderly themselves were also
surveyed. The results of these surveys, together
with the identification of current practices of
using ICT for supporting seniors, and existing
strategies and policies, will be used to map out
existing solutions, products and services in each
region, and the need for them.
The SILHOUETTE working group has successfully
used site visits and good practice workshops
in each participating region to better
understand how practices are put to use and
what the CREATOR regions can do jointly to
solve needs that arise. The purpose of the
site visits and workshops is to find the strong
sides of each region, and to identify possible
cooperation paths for a common platform to
facilitate the exchange of experience in using
ICT for supporting the elderly and transferring
solutions, products and services between
CREATOR regions. The first site visit was in the
Asturias Region in October, with the visit to the
Retemancosi-TeleGea initiative. More visits are
planned for February and March.
Sub-project manager:
Michal Kosiedowski,
Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center
kat@man.poznan.pl
+48 61 8582161
Seven European regions have joined their forces, in terms of
seeing an ageing population as an opportunity to regional
economic development. CREATOR mini-programme provides
unique opportunities to search for new possibilities by learning
from each other and finding solutions together.
The CREATOR mini-program
has been made possible by the
INTERREG IVC. Co-financed
by the European Regional
Development Fund