1. Reija Heinola
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
Support for informal care
- shared responsibility between local municipalities and informal carers

2. Support for Informal Care in Finland
• Statutory social service (The Act on Support for Informal Care 937/2005)
• Can be granted if a person needs care at home because of reduced
capability, illness or disability
• Consists of
• Necessary services to support care recipient and caregiver
• Care allowance and 3 days leave/month for caregiver
• Commission agreement is made between care giver and the municipality
(not employment)
• Minimum fee from the 1st of January 2010 is
– 347,41 euro/month
– 694,83 euro/month during transitional period when heavy caring is
needed
• Number of 65+ care receivers 23 474 (2009)

3. Service Structure for Older People 1995-2009
Targets of National
Clients % 75+ Framework by 2012
1995 2001 2005 2008 2009
Regular home care 13,8 12,1 11,5 11,2 11,4 13-14
Support for informal 2,7 3,2 3,7 4,1 4,1 5-6
care
Sheltered housing - 2,2 3,4 4,6 5,1 5-6
with 24-hour
assistance
Residential home 6,5 5,1 4,3 3,8 3,5
3
Long-term care at 3,7 3,0 2,5 2,1
health centre wards

4. Allocating statutory support for families caring for
close relatives
Research question:
Are there some distinguishing characteristics in life situations
and needs of older persons applying for support for informal
care, compared to those applying for other services?
Data:
- a sample of older persons (N= 502), living in Southern
Finland (Helsinki and Vantaa), who applied for social services
in 2008-2009
- those who expressed their need for support for informal
care (N=181)
- all were assessed using Resident Assessment Instrument
(RAI), accompanied by questions about psycho-social
circumstances and capabilities in home environment
Source: Anni Vilkko & Reija Heinola & Harriet Finne-Soveri & Maarit Rautio & Tarja Helameri & Arja Peiponen
The National Institute for Health and Welfare and The City of Helsinki

5. Allocating statutory support for families caring for
close relatives
Profile:
• A great majority were married and received care from their
spouses (70 %)
• Sex distribution was significantly more even, compared to
those applying for other services who were predominantly
women
• They had a more sustainable socio-economic situation
• Their ability in almost all IADL activities and ADL activities
were substantially lower than in the other group
• Their cognitive disability was an essential reason for applying
for support for family care (compared to other group)
• The burden of caring was evident in 28 % of caregivers
Source: Anni Vilkko & Reija Heinola & Harriet Finne-Soveri & Maarit Rautio & Tarja Helameri & Arja Peiponen
The National Institute for Health and Welfare and The City of Helsinki

6. Allocating statutory support for families caring for
close relatives
Services:
• A great majority (72 %) of the family carers,
applying for support for informal care, entered into
a care contract and received caregiver’s fee
• The families were given substantially less support
services at home than those who did not apply for
informal care support
Source: Anni Vilkko & Reija Heinola & Harriet Finne-Soveri & Maarit Rautio & Tarja Helameri & Arja
Peiponen
The National Institute for Health and Welfare and The City of Helsinki

7. Allocating statutory support for families caring for
close relatives
Discussion:
• A more sustainable socio-economic situation and marital
status were empowering and safety creating resources for the
care receivers
• However, the burden of caring was evident in 28 % of
caregivers (e. g. compared to those about 12 % getting
regular home care, RAI home care –data 2009)
• We have a good reason to ask whether official system for
support has recognized well enough the needs of family
carers in actual care situations as well as their needs for
preventive support?
Source: Anni Vilkko & Reija Heinola & Harriet Finne-Soveri & Maarit Rautio & Tarja Helameri & Arja Peiponen
The National Institute for Health and Welfare and The City of Helsinki