Supporting the Functional Capacity of the Elderly (7cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

The course runs from January 26th to March 11th 2026

Objective

You are familiar with the changes of ageing and the most common geriatric diseases.
You are familiar with the recommendations for elderly care and the methods of ethical gerontological nursing. You can plan, provide and assess nutritional and medicinal treatment as well as medication-free treatment, considering the special characteristics of the elderly.
You know how to use evidence-based health and functional capacity assessment methods and evaluate the results in a customer-oriented manner to support the planning and provision of care.
You can plan, provide and assess multi-professional, rehabilitative and safe gerontological nursing.
You know how to interact professionally and ethically with elderly customers/patients and their loved ones.
You can use various guidance and teaching methods in gerontological nursing and in supporting self-care.
You know how to use well-being technologies in different gerontological nursing environments. You know how to provide end-of-life care.

Content

-Changes of ageing
-Ethics and interaction
-Most common geriatric diseases and geriatric medicinal treatment, nutrition and sexuality
-Chronic wound care basics, assessment, guidance
-Assessment and decision-making concerning functional capacity and service needs
-Palliative and end-of-life care
-Service system knowledge

Location and time

Spring 2026

The course is completed after theoretical studies in internal medicine and surgery.

Materials

Main material: 

Tohmola, Matilainen & Miettinen. 2025. Gerontological nursing. Sanoma Pro

 

Other material: 

Current care recommendations (Hotus), Käypä hoito-recommendations, Quality recommendations, laws and regulations and other current literature

Teaching methods

The course is implemented using flipped learning, case assignments, lecture discussions and independent study.

Exam schedules

The course will be completed during the spring 2026 semester.

Completion alternatives

No optional implementation

Student workload

7 credits = 189 hours of student work

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Satisfactory (1–2)
You identify and describe the most common changes of ageing and geriatric diseases. You identify and describe the recommendations for elderly care and the methods of ethical gerontological nursing.
You identify the principles of nutritional and medicinal treatment as well as methods of medication-free treatment in elderly care.
You define evidence-based health and functional capacity assessment methods and identify the results in a customer-oriented manner to support the planning and provision of care.
You identify and understand the planning, provision and assessment of multi-professional, rehabilitative and safe gerontological nursing.
You understand the principles of professional and ethical interaction with elderly customers/patients and their loved ones.
You identify and describe guidance and teaching methods in gerontological nursing and in supporting self-care.
You identify well-being technology methods in different gerontological nursing environments. You understand and describe principles related to end-of-life nursing.

Fail:
The student has not achieved an acceptable level of competence.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good (3–4)
You use and apply theoretical knowledge about the most common changes of ageing and geriatric diseases.
You use and apply the recommendations for elderly care and the methods of ethical gerontological nursing.
You plan, provide and assess nutritional and medicinal treatment as well as medication-free treatment in elderly care. You use and apply evidence-based health and functional capacity assessment methods and evaluate the results in a customer-oriented manner to support the planning and provision of care.
You plan, provide and assess multi-professional, rehabilitative and safe gerontological nursing. You use and apply the principles of professional and ethical interaction with elderly customers/patients and their loved ones.
You use and apply various guidance and teaching methods in gerontological nursing and in supporting self-care.
You use and apply well-being technology methods in different gerontological nursing environments.
You plan and provide end-of-life care.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (5)
You use and evaluate theoretical knowledge about the most common changes of ageing and geriatric diseases.
You use and evaluate the recommendations for elderly care and the methods of ethical gerontological nursing.
You plan, provide and assess with explanations nutritional and medicinal treatment as well as medication-free treatment in elderly care.
You evaluate and compare evidence-based health and functional capacity assessment methods and evaluate with explanations the results in a customer-oriented manner to support the planning and provision of care.
You assess and develop multi-professional, rehabilitative and safe gerontological nursing. You use in diverse ways and evaluate the principles of professional and ethical interaction with elderly customers/patients and their loved ones.
You use and apply guidance and teaching methods in gerontological nursing and in supporting self-care in diverse ways.
You evaluate well-being technology methods and apply them in diverse ways in different gerontological nursing environments.
You plan, provide and assess end-of-life care in different operating environments