Gentle care

Gentle care - Well-being for nursing home staff and residents

Care work requires operating models that enable employees to participate in the development of their own work and strengthen the competence and implementation of non-pharmacological and creative methods in everyday care work.

The Gentle Care project created a model for the introduction of non-pharmacological methods for the use of care units by involving supervisors and care workers and by means of service design. The development of the model involved cultural and leisure operators sparring with creative and art-based methods through coaching, workshops and activity trials organised in care units for supervisors and care staff.

The model for the introduction of non-pharmacological methods enables the identification, development and implementation of the use of non-pharmacological methods in the everyday life of a nursing home as easily as possible and with as little time investment as possible. The developed deployment model can also be used in the future in the implementation of other operating methods in the own or other care units. In the long term, an operating model that increases competence, participation and new ways of working can promote the attractiveness and retention of the sector.

The project was carried out 1.9.2023-30.6.2025 with AKKE funding from the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council.

Project implementers

• Laurea University of Applied Sciences
• Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
• Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences.

The project involves

• The wellbeing services county of Vantaa and Kerava,
• Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County
• Betesda-säätiö.

Practical development work brought results

Non-pharmacological methods are nursing methods that support the well-being of people with memory disorders without medication. They can be, for example, listening to music, touching, outdoor activities, conversation, reminiscing or creative methods, such as art or animal-assisted activities. These methods can be used to alleviate the anxiety of a person with a memory disorder, strengthen interaction and support the quality of life.

The practical development work of the Lempeä hoiva project brought results. In the project, various non-pharmacological methods were tested in four nursing homes by pilot nurses. The experiments were found to improve the well-being of residents and bring positive changes to work and encounters. The initial and final surveys of the project for the care staff showed that the competence of the methods and positive attitudes had increased during the project.

The role of nursing home supervisors and pilot nurses in supporting the change was central, even though challenges such as cultural and language differences emerged. Supervisors' training and nurses' workshops brought new motivation and a sense of community, but at the same time, rush and skills gaps continued to become challenges. The introduction of non-pharmacological methods requires the commitment of the management, motivated staff and an individual approach to the residents. In general, it is important to support the sharing of experiences in development work and to build operating methods that enable continuous learning and the sharing of one's own expertise.

The project created a practical model for the introduction of non-pharmacological methods by co-creating with nursing home staff and the project's steering group. The model consists of three sections:

1. The extensive, five-article series promotes a development culture with the help of the PDCA model, supports the work of supervisors and shares practical experiences
2. The idea card deck, which contains a total of 45 cards, is a practical tool for nurses to support people with memory disorders in their everyday lives. The themes of the cards are interaction that takes the person with a memory disorder into account, the use of music in treatment, creative methods, the living environment of the person with a memory disorder, and the involvement of loved ones in care.
3. The electronic material bank is an information package that supports competence development, which includes, in addition to a deck of idea cards, guides, posters, videos, forms and webinar recordings related to drug-free methods.

The idea card deck for non-pharmacological methods, the material bank and other project outputs can be downloaded from the project's website.

Diverse communication and active student cooperation expanded the impact

The project's communication was extensive and had a successful impact, and the publications reached the project's target groups well, i.e. nursing home staff, students in the field and other actors in elderly care. The project's communications reached more than 1300 people at various events. In addition, the project's publications (34 publications) attracted a large number of readers on various platforms. The number of followers on social media channels increased throughout the project, and the reactions to the posts were commendable. The final event "Creatively and Gently" in May 2025 attracted more than 130 participants and received excellent feedback.

Student integration was a key part of the project: nearly 150 students from different fields of study were involved. In connection with the themes of the project, 12 theses were carried out (two are still in progress at the end of the project) and course collaborations. In total, the project produced more than 630 credits combined with the project work. At the same time, the information generated in the project was disseminated to training in the social and health care sector. With their own contribution, the students also brought new perspectives to the project and acted as information brokers for professionals in the social and health care sector and practical work.

Putting the results to use – the work continues in different forms

The introduction of non-pharmacological methods can improve the quality of nursing and the meaningfulness of work, while increasing the attractiveness of workplaces and the retention of personnel. The materials developed in the project, especially the deck of idea cards, are already in use in several nursing homes. Although the project will end, several presentations of the project's results and training events have already been scheduled for autumn 2025.

The results of the project can be used in decision-making, for example, to support training and well-being at work. The results of the project have been widely shared and have the potential to spread nationwide. The results will also be utilised in social and health care education and in future development projects. The cooperation between the three universities of applied sciences will continue – just as enthusiastically and effectively as in the Gentle Care project.

Download project materials

The idea card deck for non-pharmacological methods, the material bank and other project outputs can be downloaded from the project's website.

More info on

Lehtori Carita Hand
p. 040 630 2416
Carita.Hand [at] metropolia.fi (Carita[dot]Hand[at]metropolia[dot]fi)

See also

Other development projects of Metropolia's Future-Proof Health and Well-being innovation cluster.

Metropolia's Centre of Excellence for Ageing.