The welfare area reform affects everyone's daily life. We need decision-makers who make responsible and humane decisions and who do not distance services from the residents. Mari Hiltula is exactly such a candidate.
I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2020, and it permanently changed my perception of the importance of healthcare. When you become ill, you truly understand how vital functioning and timely social and healthcare services are for everyone. No one should have to wait too long for treatment or struggle with the complexity of the system. This is why we need decision-makers who not only talk but truly act to ensure that everyone gets the care they need in time and with dignity.
Mari Hiltula is an experienced and determined professional running in the Ostrobothnia welfare region with number 2309. She has over 25 years of experience in social and healthcare services, particularly in elderly care, disability services, and mental health services. She has also worked as an official in disability services, where she was responsible for assessing and granting services. Currently, she serves as the Wellbeing and HR Manager for the city of Kaskinen.
Mari holds degrees as a social worker, social and healthcare teacher, and is currently completing a Master’s level leadership degree. She has also earned a specialist qualification in leadership and business management and has studied business and administration. Additionally, she has worked as a teacher and is a mother of several children and a grandmother. Thanks to her extensive experience, she understands the challenges of the welfare area both administratively and practically and knows what solutions are needed to develop and maintain services.
Mari particularly emphasizes the importance of proximity, community, and humanity in social and healthcare services. She believes that strong basic services help reduce the costs of specialized medical care and create a sustainable foundation for the welfare area. She wants to put an end to unnecessary centralization of services and excessive bureaucracy, ensuring that care and services are available close to home. She highlights the development of mobile services and a home doctor model to ensure that everyone gets the help they need, regardless of where they live.
The deterioration of elderly services in Ostrobothnia is alarming. Assisted living facilities are being shut down, home care resources are stretched thin, and service centralization is making everyday life more difficult. Mari wants the welfare area to truly listen to municipalities and residents, rather than making decisions only on paper. She calls for humane and rational service arrangements where people are not unnecessarily relocated far from their homes.
Mari has also pointed out that closing services without having ready replacement solutions is not sustainable policy. If assisted living facilities are reduced, home care and home services must already be of high quality. Mobile social and healthcare services could bring healthcare to everyone without the need for long travel distances. Furthermore, a home doctor model and home hospital services should be developed, especially in areas where distances are long, and service availability is otherwise weak.
Now is the time to influence the future of healthcare in Ostrobothnia. We need a decision-maker who prioritizes residents while also understanding economic realities. That is why I am voting for Mari Hiltula with number 2309 – and I hope you do the same!
Add new comment