KELA

At first, I thought I didn’t use many of Kela’s services. After browsing the pages for a while and giving it some thought, I realized that my family and I do use quite a few Kela services, such as child benefits, medication reimbursement, travel allowances for hospital visits, and compensation for private health services. Currently, I am also paying the health care fee for university students to Kela. It’s annoying because I don’t use the service at all. For several years, I’ve intended to get the European Health Insurance Card, but I haven’t gotten around to it. Now I managed to get it, and it was surprisingly easy. It only took a few button presses.

OMA KANTA

I logged into Oma Kanta with my Suomi- identification. The login is easy, and Oma Kanta provides comprehensive access to my health information, which is a good thing. I use Oma Kanta about four to five times a year. It’s easy to renew prescriptions and check, for example, laboratory results.

KEVA

From Keva’s website, I found out that I have a little over 20 years until retirement. The pension amounts shown by Keva were shockingly small. I think this is because I have worked for most of my life in Norway, and the pensions received from there do not show in Finland. Additionally, you cannot receive a pension from abroad until you reach the official retirement age.

BOOKING.COM

I often use the Booking.com website, and I’ve noticed that prices for the same hotels and dates can vary greatly even within an hour. I’ve made a similar observation with flight ticket prices. So, you can save large sums or end up paying ridiculously high amounts for the same hotel, depending on when you make the reservation. This truly baffles me. It seems like the prices are entirely arbitrary, and as consumers, we can’t really do much about it.

AMAZON.COM

On the other hand, my spouse often uses Amazon.com. Certainly, by comparing prices and quality, one can save significant amounts. The selection is also much broader than in local stores. I often struggle with an ethical dilemma because I believe it’s important to support local businesses and brick-and-mortar shops. However, one can find products online much cheaper, and in these challenging economic times, saving where possible is preferable.

MIELENTERVEYSTALO.FI

For my field, I choose Mielenterveystalo.fi. I use it often in my work, and it offers resources for both professionals and the general public. The website allows users to engage in self-help programs and tests. It also provides valuable information on various mental health disorders and contact details. I gain a lot of assistance and information for my work from the site. Sometimes, my clients also use the site to work on self-help programs either independently or collaboratively with me. It is, therefore, a daily tool in my profession


DIGITALIZATION AND DIGITAL GAP

As online services proliferate, we must consider those who, for various reasons, are unable or do not know how to use them. They, too, should continue to receive services, or else it may lead to marginalization and inequality. We must also acknowledge how easily one can fall victim to scams online. It is possible for anyone, but particularly for the elderly and other vulnerable groups. I know of an older lady who is afraid to use her bank card online. Therefore, many services become challenging to use, as mobile authentication is now almost ubiquitous. How do individuals like these access all the services they need? Has this been adequately considered?

SELF-EVALUATION

I use a computer daily, and I have thought that I know quite a bit and manage well. After taking a test, I must admit that I have, at most, basic digital skills. Upon closer consideration, I easily get nervous when faced with a problem. I also frequently seek help because I am unable to solve the issue myself. As a middle-aged nurse, my digital skills are probably quite good, but there is still much to learn.

I commented on Jane Kuosmanen, Kaisa Kuuppo and Sanna Vidgren.