From Finland to Bali, Jussi Peltonen shares how Hovi Group is transforming senior care with a unique blend of Nordic expertise, holistic wellness, and innovative technology.
With a heartfelt commitment to dignity, independence, and personalised care, Jussi Peltonen—Founder and CEO of Hovi Group—is on a mission to redefine elderly care across borders. What began as a family legacy in Finland has grown into an international care network, with successful operations in Singapore and Indonesia. In this exclusive interview with Indonesia Expat, Jussi reflects on his journey into the healthcare sector, the values that underpin Hovi Care, and how his team is tackling the challenges of ageing with compassion, innovation, and respect.
Before we get started, could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Jussi Peltonen, and I am a founding member of Hovi Care Ltd in Finland. My first connection to the healthcare sector began at the age of 14 when my parents established the first private nursing home in Western Finland. I spent my youth living in the same yard, so the connection with the residents was close and warm.
Later, this first nursing home was passed on to my sister, and soon it was operating in the third generation. My own work in healthcare began in 2008 when we founded Hovi Group Ltd. Its purpose was to support new entrepreneurs who wanted to enter the healthcare industry. We collected the knowledge and expertise we had gained up to that point into a shared operations manual, which made it easier for new operators to join the care sector.
As the Founder and CEO of Hovi Group, please elaborate on what Hovi Group is.
Hovi Group is all about helping local care providers deliver high-quality, reliable services. In Finland, we focus on supporting older adults, people with memory disorders, mental health challenges, and intellectual disabilities—basically, anyone who needs a bit of extra help in their everyday life.
Right now, we run 11 service units across Finland, including care homes, assisted living, and senior housing.
HoviCare came a bit later when we started taking our know-how and franchise model abroad. We’ve been in Singapore since 2018 and expanded to Indonesia in 2019. In Singapore, we operate two daycare centres for seniors. And in Bali, we run Hovi Club Teuku Umar, a senior day centre, and Hovi Assisted Saba, an assisted living unit—both open to local and international seniors.
What inspired you to pursue a career in elderly care?
I found my way into the healthcare sector for two main reasons. First, ageing is happening at such a rapid pace that we really need new ways to deliver high-quality care, flexibly and in a way that truly meets people’s individual needs. I wanted to be part of making that change happen.
The second reason is my background in tech. It gives me a solid base for developing better ways of working by using new technology. With the right tools, we can make care more transparent, consistent, engaging for clients, and even more rehabilitative with better results.
You advocate for active ageing and holistic wellness. What specific strategies does Hovi Care implement to promote these principles?
At HoviCare, we base a lot of our approach on the Finnish FINGER study, which has since grown into a global model known as World-Wide FINGER.
The model defines the Lifestyle measures for the prevention of cognitive decline. The research showed that the progression of memory disorders can actually be slowed down—and in some cases even halted—with the right kind of intervention.
There are five key focus areas: social activities, mental stimulation, physical activity, healthy food, and control of cardiovascular risk factors. Our programs are built around all five of these areas so that they play a vital role in our clients’ overall well-being and daily rehabilitation.
Dementia care is a key focus of Hovi Care. How does your approach differ from traditional dementia care models?
At HoviCare, we draw on the best Nordic practices—ones that are grounded in solid research and evidence. On top of that, we have 36 years of hands-on experience in dementia care, which gives us a strong foundation to create approaches that truly support our clients’ well-being.
Often, families reach out to us out of concern. Maybe they’ve noticed their mother or father becoming forgetful, or perhaps there’s already been a dementia diagnosis. Sometimes the worry is more about loneliness, when social connections fade and it becomes harder for a loved one to engage with others.
It is important to know that dementia isn’t a normal part of ageing. While there’s no cure, the progression can be slowed with the right kind of support. At Hovi Care, we work to break down the stigma that still surrounds dementia. We’re always looking for personalised ways to communicate, connect, engage, and support each individual we care for.
The phrase “Own Your Life” is central to Hovi Care’s philosophy. How do you incorporate this philosophy into the treatment process for seniors?
People often mistakenly see seniors as one uniform group—but in reality, their needs can vary a lot depending on their individual situation and diagnoses. Our mission, “Own Your Life,” is about giving that individuality and decision-making power back to our elderly clients. Even when someone’s cognitive abilities may have declined, we believe in supporting their right to make choices and have a say in their own lives.
In practice, this means we take time to understand each client’s life story and what truly matters to them. That helps us better understand their needs, preferences, and behaviours. We then build their daily routine around them—filling it with moments and activities that align with their personal goals and wishes.
We also make sure there are opportunities throughout the day for clients to make independent choices based on what they want. That sense of individuality and autonomy—being able to influence your own day—is one of the most important elements of well-being.
Technology is playing an increasing role in healthcare. How does Hovi Care integrate digital solutions to enhance elderly care?
We use a wide range of care and wellness technologies. Daily nursing notes are entered into a digital system, which helps create transparency and allows us to track changes in a client’s functional ability over time. We also use specially designed games that support cognitive rehabilitation for clients with memory disorders.
Technology helps us build an artificial safety net around our clients, giving us the ability to monitor their well-being in detail when needed. For example, for our senior day care centre clients, we can use tools like sleep trackers that measure breathing rate, sleep quality, and duration. This allows us, for example, to track the effects of changes in medication and even detect issues like urinary tract infections early on.
All this data is analysed by Artificial Intelligence, which predicts changes in a client’s condition and flags any increased risks—like changes in blood sugar balance, changes in behaviour, blood pressure variations, or even the increased risk of hospitalisation.
Technology doesn’t replace human care, but it helps us focus our attention where it’s needed most. The insights we gather also support diagnosis and help doctors make well-informed decisions about our clients’ health.
What advice would you give to other healthcare leaders looking to implement more compassionate and personalised elderly care services?
Operating a high-quality elderly care facility is not easy. It requires excellent staff with a positive attitude and client-oriented care practices. I have to say, though, that the Balinese approach towards the elderly is amazingly respectful and warm.
At the same time, technology, solid care processes, and well-thought-out operating models are another key to delivering consistent, high-quality care with international standards. We believe we’ve successfully managed to bring those two sides together in a way that really benefits our clients and improves their everyday lives.
To make all that happen, we have had to develop various practical tools to support personalised care, like workbooks that help us get to know each client’s life story more deeply. That kind of knowledge of life history is essential, especially when a person’s cognitive abilities may be affected by conditions like dementia. It helps us understand them and respond in a way that truly reflects their wishes.
We also actively train our staff in our own HoviAcademy, making sure they stay up to date with the latest research and know how to apply that knowledge practically in their daily work—with the client’s needs always at the centre.
What’s next for Hovi Group?
Ageing in Asia is accelerating, and with it, the probability of illnesses like dementia increases. So, it’s safe to say that the demand for high-quality, research-based assisted living and daycare services will continue to grow.
In Bali, our operations are developing and expanding in collaboration with Kasih Ibu Hospital Group. We currently serve both local and international clients who value high service standards and international quality care.
We’re continuing to further develop our care models to make personalised care even easier to deliver, more effective, and—most importantly—more engaging for the clients themselves.
Another key focus is helping alleviate the stigma of dementia, how people think about it and how it’s treated. We want to make it easier to talk about dementia and also offer support for the families through our care courses and training. When everyone taking care of a senior is on the same page, the client benefits the most—and that’s really what it’s all about.
How can our readers contact Hovi Group, particularly to arrange an appointment for senior care?
If you’re interested in our care services in Bali, you can contact Hovi Care Bali Managing Director, Dewi Trisnawati, by phone or email (dewi.trisnawati@hovicare.com). You’ll also find our contact details and more information about our units and services on our website: www.hovicare.com/bali.
We offer a free trial session at our senior daycare centre, Hovi Club Teuku Umar, so you’re welcome to come visit with absolutely no pressure. We also plan to offer home care, which can be the first step if a family member feels a little nervous about coming to the centre—this way, we can start building a relationship in the comfort of their own home.
Families sometimes worry about language barriers, but we’ve found effective, client-specific solutions for those situations, too.
Our assisted living unit, Hovi Assisted Saba, operates in connection with Kasih Ibu Hospital in Saba, so residents have immediate access to medical services if needed. Care is available 24/7 and follows the same trusted methods we use at Hovi Club Teuku Umar.
We’d love to tell you more about what we do—so don’t hesitate to give us a call or stop by for a visit. We’re always happy to chat.