Finland’s population is
ageing rapidly

People in Finland are living longer and healthier than ever before. Life expectancy has increased steadily, and the majority of older people live independently. Population ageing nevertheless inevitably increases the need for social and health care services.

In the coming years, the large age cohorts will reach an age at which the need for services typically increases. The need for social and health care services will grow by approximately one percent per year in the coming years. Half of this growth is attributable to care for older people.

If round-the-clock care is provided only later, people must be able to live longer at home or in communal housing. This requires that resources be allocated to these.

Read the article on the impacts of population ageing on the need for social and health care services

Nearly half of memory disorders can be prevented

In 2040, there may be 250,000 people with memory disorders in Finland. This is roughly equivalent to the population of Tampere and about 100,000 more than in 2021. The increase raises the need for services for older people. Memory disorders cannot be cured, but their increase can fortunately be influenced.

Support for informal care varies between regions

When informal carers are supported with adequate services, many older people and those with long-term illnesses can live at home longer. This reduces the burden on the service system. THL recommends uniform eligibility criteria for informal care support so that carers receive equal support regardless of place of residence.

The Future Outlook for Health – online service

With the Future Outlook for Health online service, leaders and decision-makers in wellbeing services counties can anticipate future service needs arising from ageing, morbidity, lifestyles and certain risk factors.

The service provides forecasts and possible scenarios for the development of service needs by wellbeing services county and at national level up to 2040. It supports the planning of preventive measures.

In the service, forecasts can be examined for example on perceived health of the population, multimorbidity and psychological strain. The situation can be reviewed by wellbeing services county and in relation to the whole country.

The service provides forecasts and scenarios

  • On health status
  • On lifestyles and risk factors
  • On work ability and functional capacity
  • On morbidity in scenarios of developments in alcohol use, smoking and obesity
  • On health service costs in scenarios of developments in obesity

Go to The Future Outlook for Health service

Statistic

Statistical information on services for older people and functional ability

There are an estimated 260,000 clients in services for older people, and the services are provided by more than 50,000 professionals. Explore THL’s statistics and use the data to support decision-making.

Report service

Anticipate developments through scenarios

The Health Futures online service helps anticipate how service needs in a wellbeing services county may develop under different scenarios.

Project

Monitoring of services for older people

Monitoring of services for older people (Vanpal) produces information on how services for older people are organised, on service units and on customer satisfaction for the purposes of monitoring, management and decision-making.

Guideline

RAI benchmarking for data-driven management

Guideline is intended for managers and experts who utilize RAI benchmarking data. It supports the use of RAI information in frontline management, inter-organizational comparisons, and strategic service planning and development.