Adjunct Professor Tarja Välimäki works as a university lecturer at the University of Eastern Finland, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing Science. “My clinical research is aimed at patients with memory problems, family care and ageing themes,” describes Tarja of her research interests.  

Tarja’s research focuses specifically on family, loved ones and caregivers of the patient with memory illness. The complex of psychosocial health includes physical health, functional capacity, emotional factors, and quality of life. “My expertise is focused on the follow-up surveys of people with memory illnesses and their families. My core expertise is the methods of qualitative research and experiential research in this context,” she stresses. “The results can be used, for example, in implementing a service path and in the allocation of support to patients with memory illness and their loved ones at different stages of the disease.”  

Tarja works closely with Alzheimer’s Disease Monitoring (ALSOVA) research project and Lifestyle, Nutrition and Oral Health in Caregivers (LENTO) study, conducted both in the University of Eastern Finland. In addition, she is active in the Nordic Memory Clinic network. “I direct many doctoral dissertation studies, which enables extensive discussion and networking regionally and nationally. These projects and researchers can be explored through the blog platform of the Department of Nursing Science,” Tarja concludes. 

ALSOVA project: https://uefconnect.uef.fi/en/group/alzheimers-disease-follow-up-study-alsova/
LENTO research: https://uefconnect.uef.fi/en/group/clinical-nutrition-and-nutrition-therapy/
Nursing Science in UEF blog: https://blogs.uef.fi/nursingscience/ 

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Kuopio Brain & Mind is part of a nation-wide Neurocenter Finland researcher network. For more information, please visit www.neurocenterfinland.fi