Ensuring well-functioning services for elderly people
Elderly people must be guaranteed a safe old age. For this reason, elderly people must be offered services that meet their needs, or a place in a care facility when necessary.
Investments must be made in rehabilitation, communal living, living at home, and services that promote functional capacity for elderly people. An increase in communal living must improve quality of life and not come at the cost of the standard of care. Services for elderly people must be sufficient to meet individual needs and thus support wellbeing.
We believe that the staffing ratio for elderly care must be 7:10, i.e. seven workers for each ten elderly people, so that the quality of care does not suffer and employees are not overburdened.
The criteria for informal care must be standardised throughout Finland, support services must be offered and the amount paid to support informal care arrangements must be sufficient. Informal care must not be detrimental to other services.
Employees caring for their own elderly parents must receive better support than they currently do, to ensure they can continue to work amidst the increased burden of their life situation.
- Services for elderly people must focus on individual solutions, and fast access to services ensured.
- Measures to lower staffing levels for elderly care must be reversed in order to retain the quality of care.
- Informal and family carers must be supported with sufficient resources and services.
- Employees caring for elderly parents to be supported in coping at work, with means such as tax-subsidised employee benefits, for example.