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 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 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)

Respondents´ health assessed by themselves (n=304) 44,9% 10,8% 44,3%

Health condition, when retired (n=305) 19,7 % 62% 18,4%

Family relations (n=305) 78 % 18,4% 2,0% 1,6 %

Number of Children (n=305)

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)

Financial situation (n=306) 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) 63,2% 3,3% 33,4%

D o you belive that you can get enough care in the future? ( n=304) 51,3% 41,4% 7,2%

From whom you expect to get help when the need for care is minor? (n=304) 38,2% 7,6% 54,3%

From whom you expect to get long-term help and care? (n=304) 16,7% 75,1% 8,2%

Who is the best co-ordinator of your care? (n= 302) 37,5%20,7% 26,0%

The most important qualification of those professionals who will be caring you?( n=293)

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

Trend in elderly care? ( n=298) 36,2% 16,1% 47,7%

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