Services and benefits for old people
Social protection for older people consists of services and income security, arranged as a part of social and health care.
Municipalities are responsible for arranging services. The municipality grants services on the basis of an individual service needs assessment. Municipalities may produce the services themselves or buy them from other municipalities or from private service providers.
Further information is available from municipal services for older people.
Income security
(see Income)
Financial benefits for older people include:
- employee pension
- national pension
- housing allowance
- care allowance
Prevention services
Older people's functional capacity is supported using preventive services and rehabilitation. These services include Senior Info, home visits, day centres, and vaccinations.
Service needs assessment
If an older person requires home services, informal care, institutional care, services for older people, social assistance or other social care services, for these to be granted a municipal official assesses the client's service needs.
Health services
Health services include the services of the municipal health centre, such as physical examinations, dental care, home nursing, rehabilitation services and assistive devices. If specialized medical care is required, the hospital district arranges it.
Services for war veterans
Services and benefits for veterans are intended for those who served in the 1939-1945 wars, for rehabilitation, care and income security.
Housing services
Older people's independent housing is supported by housing services by granting reimbursements for housing renovation work and by providing service accommodation.
Housing services (see social and health services)
Home services and home nursing care
(see Social and health services)
Home service and home nursing care assist when an older person requires help at home due to diminished functional capacity or illness. In many municipalities these are combined as home care, which is supplemented by support services.
Institutional care
(see Social and health services)
If it is not possible for an older person to live at home or in service accommodation, care can be organised in the form of institutional care.
Informal care
Municipalities may grant informal care support for a relative or friend of a person being cared for.
Memory rehabilitation
Social and health care professionals offer guidance and advice for people with memory disorders in need of special services. Many municipalities have nurses, advisers or coordinators for memory disorders. Also, the regional specialists and support centres of the associations for memory disorders and dementia provide advice and guidance.