Results of the Finnish data

ELDERLY PEOPLE´S NEED FOR CARE AND SERVICES IN THE FUTURE

- A survey for people ranging in age from 50 to 59 years

The aim of the study

• was to describe 50-59 years old peoples view and expectation of social and health services while they were retired

Data collection• The original questionnaire was developed in

English and then translated in Finnish - pilot tested in December 2002.

• 44 questions: 18 likert scale , 6 dicotomic and 18 multiple choice questions.

• The study was implemented in May ja June 2003 in Northern (Pohjanmaa) and South -West (Länsi-Suomi) of Finland

Results(N=306)

• Background information of the Finnish respondents

• Finnish respondents expectations of the services in the future

Background information of respondents (n=306)

• 49% lived in Northern part of Finland

• 51% lived in Western part of Finland

• 63 % female, 37% male

• 68,6% lived in small town, 26,1% in rural area and 5,3 % in big town (city)

Respondents education(n= 304)

higher18 %

vocational60 %

school/basic

22 %

Respondents´ health assessed by themselves

(n=304)

good

rather good

not so good

44,9%10,8%

44,3%

Health condition, when retired(n=305)

good

rather good

not so good

19,7 %

62%

18,4%

Family relations(n=305)

Nuclear family

Single

Extended family

Other

78 %

18,4%

2,0% 1,6 %

Number of Children(n=305)

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 1 2 3 4 ormore

Contact to children in the future(n=305)

once a week 57%

once a month 18,4,%

everyday 13,8%

no children 8,9%

twice a year or less 2,0%

Working situation(n=305)

w orking83 %

retired5 %

entepreun.7 %

unemployed5 %

Financial situation(n=306)

rather good

can save some money

not so good

problems in everydayliving

59,5%

23,2%

15,7%1,6%

Sevices in the future- Respondents´expectations and visions

Best to live in the future/ when retired ( n=302)

At home

Service house

Nursing home

63,2%

3,3%33,4%

Do you belive that you can get enough care in the future? ( n=304)

yes

not so sure

no

51,3%

41,4%

7,2%

From whom you expect to get help when the need for care is

minor? (n=304)

family member

professional

voluntary

38,2%7,6%

54,3%

From whom you expect to get long-term help and care?

(n=304)

family caregiver

professional

voluntary

16,7%

75,1%

8,2%

Who is the best co-ordinator of your care?

(n= 302)

Myself

Children

Spouse

37,5%20,7%

26,0%

The most important qualification of those professionals who will be

caring you?( n=293)

01020304050

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fes

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In the development of eldelry care the special attention should be paid

Access to health services 88,7Functional capacity 85,5Estimation of being old 79Access to Social Services 77,9Prevention of Mental health problems 74,9Understanding between generations 73,5Building and maintaining social networks 68,7Serious illness of old people 66,3Variety of health care services 61,5Empowering elderly 53,9Access to activities 52,6Variety of social services 51,4Participation of older people in the society 49,5Variety of activities 48,6Access of new technology 37,9Over estimation of being young 26,4

%

Trend in elderly care? ( n=298)

Getting better

No change

Worse

36,2%

16,1%

47,7%

How to fund the care for the elderly in the future? (n=303)

Public funding

Private

Partly public andpartly private

35,6%

64% 0,3%

Conclusions• Over half of respondents were female ( 63%)

• In Finland the relation F/ M is 50,15% and 49,85%.

• The number of children in this data was higher than generally in Finland

• The respondents were less educated compared to Finnish population

• They assessed their health condition a little bit higher than generally in this age group of Finns.

Conclusions

• The salary was the main income for the respondents in Finland

• The avaerage salary in 2002 was

2 430 euros/ month male, 1985 euros/ month for female

• The average pension in 2002 was

1020 euro/month for male, 900 eruos /month for female

Challenges for development of social and health care services

• What kind of help / services need to be developed for elderly so that they can be living at home?

• How to arrange professional longterm help and care at home?

• How to develop support for family caregivers (financial, pshyco-social and emotional) ?

• How to fund care of eldelry?

Challenges for the professionals• How to communicate with older pelople?

• How to show that you estimate an older person?

• How to empower an older person?

• How to support the independecy of an older person ?

• How to support older person´s family relations (a child/ children) ?

• How to support family members as a caregivers?

Challenges for the education

• Which really are the skills/ competences needed in elderly care?

• How to impact to attitude and values of students so that they will estimate older people?

• How to enable students to understand ageining process?

• How to enable students to communicate and interact with older people?