Caregiver support disparities raise concerns in Finland as families face challenges

Maarit Haapasaari provides round-the-clock care for her 94-year-old father. In October of last year, a service coordinator assessed her father’s condition, resulting in a reduction of his care support from the highest to the middle care level. The welfare region deemed the care less demanding than the municipality had previously assessed. Haapasaari believes the coordinator overestimated her father’s abilities, expressing frustration that his condition hasn’t improved.

In Finland, informal caregiving, or “omaishoito,” involves looking after elderly or disabled relatives. Support includes services for the care recipient, a caregiver allowance, and additional support services. However, there is no subjective right to this support; welfare regions set their own criteria for granting it based on minimum legal requirements. Approximately 50,000 caregivers in Finland have formal contracts, while an estimated 350,000 care for relatives informally.

Haapasaari appealed the reduction in care support to the Varsinais-Suomi welfare area, yet they upheld the previous decision without a new evaluation. The welfare region’s customer guidance director stated that reassessments occur only with changes in the recipient’s condition or upon formal request.

Disparities exist in how various regions manage caregiver support. While some regions invest in caregiving due to cost-effectiveness, others only provide support under stringent and demanding conditions. For instance, the lowest care allowance is stipulated at €461.99 per month, but actual payments vary widely among regions.

Calls for standardized criteria for caregiver support have been made, though no immediate plans for a national framework are in place. Recent assessments utilizing RAI metrics aim to enhance fairness among clients, promoting transparency in evaluations.