Mikkeli introduces hybrid care home combining independent living and 24-hour care

A new type of hybrid care facility has opened in Mikkeli, Finland, offering seniors a range of services from rental housing to round-the-clock care under one roof, reports Yle.

Leena Paavilainen, 77, was among the first residents to move into the newly completed building over the Easter weekend. “This looks very promising,” she said. “There are plenty of activities, views of Lake Saimaa, and I believe I’ll find friends and a sense of community here.”

The six-storey facility, located near Mikkeli’s market square, is a joint project by the South Savo Wellbeing Services County and the city’s municipal housing company, Mikalon. The upper floors feature standard rental apartments, the middle floor offers communal living, and the ground floor provides 24-hour care for those with higher needs.

Niina Kaukonen, director of elderly services at the wellbeing services county, said the hybrid model benefits seniors by eliminating unnecessary relocations as their care needs increase. “If their functional capacity declines, they don’t have to move—they receive services in their own home,” she explained. The model is also cost-effective, as staff can be deployed flexibly across different levels of care.

Demand for the 60 rental apartments has been high, with hundreds of applications received. Care-based placements are allocated through standard needs assessments. Residents like Paavilainen, who live in the upper floors, are welcome to participate in the building’s shared activities, including events, club rooms, and a gym.

The facility’s staff recruitment is nearly complete, with strong interest from applicants. “A new building and a new way of working always attract people,” said Tiina Väisänen, service coordinator for the elderly. “We’ve told them to forget old ways and focus on developing something new.”

Despite budget cuts in elderly care across many Finnish regions, South Savo is expanding its services. The area has one of Finland’s oldest populations but maintains some of the shortest care queues, with an average wait time of about a month for nursing home placement. Kaukonen attributed this to proactive planning, diversified services—such as increased family-based care and supported informal caregiving—and long-term forecasting rather than short-term fixes.

She noted that treating elderly patients in specialised hospital wards is far more expensive than timely placement in care homes. “The share of elderly people will grow strongly until 2035, so we need to prepare,” Kaukonen said.