At the moment, I receive a student meal benefit from KELA, which allows me to eat at a discounted price, for example, in my workplace restaurant. And as a student, I have access to YTHS health services, which I have utilized for dental care. But for these services I have to pay student healthcare fee. I am not currently using any other KELA benefits. However, whenever I have visited KELA’s website, I have found it to function well, and I’ve always been able to take care of my matters there. I allready have European health insurance card.

I often visit the OmaKanta service to check my health records and renew my prescriptions. I find the service easy to use, and it’s much more convenient to request a prescription renewal through it than waiting in line on the phone for a health center or waiting for a callback. However, every time I visit OmaKanta, I worry about accidentally opening a wrong site because there are so many of them nowadays. I always try to be cautious with links and websites, looking out for any signs that the site might be suspicious.

I’ve visited Keva’s website several times to check my pension information. I find that Keva’s site offers quick and easy access to my pension data, especially the estimates if I were to retire at 68 or 70 years old. I also found information on the partial early old-age pension, which I could take as early as the year 2058, meaning at the age of 65.

Digital shops

I would suspect that as an online shopper, I rank somewhere in the middle. I mainly order when I can’t find the product I want in nearby stores. I rarely order from abroad, and when I do, I make sure the website is trustworthy and that the delivery actually arrives to me. Usually, I also check reviews of the shop on Google, and I confirm what payment options they offer. For example, I’ve considered various payment methods like Klarna and PayPal as a sign that the online store is reliable. Recently, I’ve ordered a few times from Temu, like nail stickers and Halloween decorations that I couldn’t find in Finland or other online stores. Every time, I’ve received the correct items just as they were shown in the pictures and descriptions. Of course, I’ve also thought about the ethical side of ordering from Temu, especially since there are also children working in the factories. And I don’t think it’s ever right for children to be forced into work, whether it’s factory work or any other type of work.

Prices in stores vary greatly depending on where you order from. However, the buyer must always remember that items bought cheaply can often be of lower quality than more expensive ones. Sometimes, though, the product is exactly the same whether you buy it from Finland or from a Chinese online store. For example, in the case of piercings, the price difference can be quite large, as a piece of jewelry from Temu might cost around 3€, while the exact same piece in a Finnish piercing shop is about 20€.

A good thing about online stores like Temu is that they make you think about where all the extra money goes. Even with piercings, 17€ disappears somewhere along the way. However, I don’t encourage anyone to order from online stores like Temu, and I still think carefully about each product I consider buying from China, asking myself whether I could get a higher-quality version from somewhere closer.

Terveyskylä

I chose to explore the Terveyskylä website, which contains a lot of information about various diseases and general health. In my opinion, Terveyskylä is well-structured and motivating, and it provides reliable, research-based information. However, if I were visiting the site for the first time, it might take some time to find the different ‘houses,’ especially if you’re searching for something specific. The part of Terveyskylä that relates most to my field is the Mental Health House, which I think offers a good foundation of knowledge on various mental health issues and the best paths for finding help with your own problems. One of the strengths of Terveyskylä is that it also includes self-care programs.

Digital gap

I think that igitalization brings many beneficial practices that can significantly ease people’s lives. However, digitalization also has its downsides, and I would imagine that example the elderly peoples suffer from these more than the younger generations. For example, neither of my living grandparents use the internet, both still have Doro phones with buttons, and both handle their bills and banking directly at the bank. I believe their lives would become significantly more challenging if banks would close in-person services and shift entirely to online platforms. Similarly, healthcare services are now largely provided online, but what if someone doesn’t know how to or can’t use a computer? I also understand that many schools today assign homework to be done online. But what about poorer families who may not be able to afford a computer? As digitalization progresses, it’s essential to remember and consider all those individuals who need and have to use these services, and their ability and opportunities to access them.

In my own work, I encounter both positive moments and challenges with technology daily. For example, just the day I wrote this text, our patient information system was not working at all. This meant we couldn’t access patient records, check up-to-date medication changes or doctor’s orders, or record patient status. This kind of situation poses its own challenges, especially when we assume that the system should always work. Fortunately, we do have a backup system for medications at work, with printed medication forms, so we can still check necessary medications for patients from a folder.

Self reflection

In this course, I learned to think more about the fact that although I see digitalization as a good thing, not everyone may feel the same way. I also learned to view various services more critically and to consider how, for example, using OmaKanta feels for someone who doesn’t use the internet regularly. I began to reflect that perhaps it’s time for us, as the younger generation, to support our parents and grandparents in this new era of development, just as they once supported us in growing and learning.

I took a test, and the result was what I expected. I prefer booking appointments for example healthcare services online, where I can check available times and compare them with my work schedule. It also feels natural for me to use a phone, computer, and the internet in general for work, daily tasks, and shopping. My biggest challenge is with Excel, which I haven’t had to use much throughout my life. Additionally, I don’t like to share my personal opinions online, preferring to keep my updates positive and enjoyable for myself and others.

The posts I commented on:
DIGI CITIZEN | Karoliinan ajatuksia (savonia.fi)
DIGI CITIZEN – Mari’s Site (savonia.fi)
DIGI CITIZEN – Seija´s Site (savonia.fi)