Increasing need among older people for sheltered housing with 24-hour assistance

22.11.2007

The number of older people receiving sheltered housing with 24-hour assistance is growing. At the end of 2006, clients aged 75 and over totalled 15 700 in this service, which was 13.5 per cent up on the previous year.

The figure describes the coverage of the service. However, in interpreting the figures regionally, it should be kept in mind that the service system for older people should always be looked at as a whole; different municipalities arrange the services in different ways. Comparisons of individual services between different municipalities will not tell the whole truth as the municipality may have the emphasis on institutional care and other services.

A recent study by STAKES and the Ministry of the Environment indicates that the necessary increase in the number of beds in sheltered housing with 24-hour assistance for over-75s is between 9000 and 24 000 by 2025. Changes in the age structure of the population will drastically increase the need for sheltered housing in forthcoming years. (Sirpa Andersson: Palveluasuntoja ikäihmisille - Palveluasumisen nykytila ja tuleva tarve. STAKES Report 14/2007. STAKES and the Ministry of the Environment. http://www.ymparisto.fi/download.asp?contentid=75968&lan=fi)

This bulletin was compiled by: Sari Kauppinen.

Figure 1. Service housing with 24-hour assistance for older people, clients aged 75 and over on 31 Dec, as % of total population of same age