Quality of Elderly Care Draws Complaints
In only a few years, the number of complaints aimed at elderly care has risen two-fold in southern Finland. This is also where there is the greatest shortage of nursing staff.
The constant hurry in which nursing staff work is causing many families to voice concern about the level and quality of care their elderly family members receive.
Mainly, county administrative boards are forced to address the lack of nursing staff, as many municipalities do not come close to reaching minimum staffing standards. In retirement homes, it is officially recommended that the nursing staff to resident ratio be 1:2.
Elderly care facilities in smaller municipalities have drawn the most complaints. Financial constraints often lead to several residents sharing a room, for example.
"This means using two-person rooms while searching for other solutions. This infringes on the constitutional right of the elderly to domestic peace and privacy," says Anita Kostiainen, a welfare inspector at the State Provincial Office of Western Finland.
Such actions also go against eldercare recommendations, which currently are under review at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Among other aspects, the new guidelines highlight the right of the elderly to individual living arrangements while in care facilities.
YLE
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