Grants for research to promote elderly health

The Aktiestinsen Scholarship Fund is awarded annually at the School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, to projects that promote development work and research on health promotion for the elderly. The 2024 award was a total of SEK 607,500 and the money went to four projects that were presented during a ceremony on 6 February.

The ceremony began with lunch at Mariedal at JU. The 2024 grant recipients were then presented:

  • Victor Ahlgren, Folkuniversitetet, with the project Cultural experiences, SEK 225,000.
  • Anna Sundling, Nässjö Municipality, with the project Aktivitetsryggsäck (Activity backpack), SEK 100,000.
  • Johanna Johansson, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, with the project Life filming - Obstacles and opportunities for older people's outdoor activities in urban environments during heat waves, SEK 149,600.
  • Madeleine Svärd, Studieförbundet Vuxenskolan i Jönköpings län, with the project The Joy of Art for Seniors, SEK 168,000.

Projects focus on health promotion for older people

All of the research projects awarded grants on Thursday aim to work on and develop health promotion initiatives for an elderly population.

Johanna Johansson is a PhD student in Health and Care Sciences at the School of Health and Welfare. Johanna's PhD project is part of the HEAT research project, which concerns planning for an ageing population in a warmer climate. She sees the scholarship as an opportunity to delve deeper into the results she has obtained so far.

“I feel happy, proud and privileged. This grant will allow us to deepen the work we have done so far and create new areas of co-operation,” says Johanna.

Follow-up of successful projects

During the lunch, the 2023 scholarship recipients also presented their completed or ongoing projects, which were:

  • Anna Sundling, Nässjö municipality with the project KulturVänner
  • Madeleine Svärd, Studieförbundet Vuxenskolan Jönköpings län with the project Hur funkar det egentligen? (How does it really work? - Everyday technology for seniors)
  • Yashar Mahmud, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Activity and health for elderly deaf people

“Many thanks to the board that gave us the opportunity to offer this initiative for seniors,” said Madeleine Svärd, as her closing words at the presentation.

Facts The Aktiestinsen Foundation

Lennart Israelsson was an SJ (Swedish State Railways) station manager in Småland, who earned a fortune on equity investments, giving him the nickname “Aktiestinsen” (the “stock station master”). During the latter part of his life, Israelsson donated millions to various foundations. There are now five foundations with his name, one of which is Aktiestinsen Lennart Israelsson’s foundation for promoting the activity and health of the elderly.

The Foundation annually announces at most eight scholarships in total, of an amount of SEK 600,000 to professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and students to promote entrepreneurial development work and/or research on health promotion work for the elderly’s activity and health in the field of occupational therapy.

The assessment committee that proposes which projects are funded by the foundation consists of the School of Health and Welfare’s dean (chair of the foundation), a representative of the student association at the School of Health and Welfare, Head of Discipline/researcher in the field of occupational therapy, an occupational therapist and an external entrepreneur in the field of occupational therapy.

2025-02-10