Family caregivers in Finland are taking on a growing share of elderly care as publicly provided home services decline and the population ages. In 2024, around 62,000 people had a formal family-care agreement, while approximately 350,000 were primarily responsible for caring for a relative, according to Yle.
Family caregivers fill gaps in Finland’s welfare system
Family care (omaishoito) allows an older person, a person with a disability or someone with a long-term illness to remain at home with assistance from a spouse, child or another relative.
According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos, THL), 62,000 people were registered as family caregivers in 2024. The wider number of people who had primary responsibility for a relative’s care was estimated at around 350,000.
Family care is less expensive for public finances than professional residential or home-based services. At the same time, the amount of publicly organised home care has declined for several consecutive years.
THL senior specialist Sari Kehusmaa told Yle that the trend was concerning. When older people do not receive sufficient home services, they must manage independently or rely on relatives.
Older women often care for ageing partners
The typical family caregiver in Finland is an older woman looking after a spouse, often someone affected by dementia, reduced mobility or another condition that limits independence.
Sari Tervonen, executive director of the Finnish Association of Carers (Omaishoitajaliitto), said some caregivers are themselves very old or in poor health. In some elderly couples or among siblings, it may not be immediately clear which person is providing care and which one is receiving it.
The pressures are illustrated by the case of Helka Kivelä, 93, who has cared for her 96-year-old husband Jussi at their home in Järvenpää for nine years. Jussi lost much of his hearing and mobility after suffering a stroke in 2017.
Professional carers visit the couple three times a week, but the visits are brief. Helka uses the time to buy groceries, collect medicines and complete other essential errands.
She told Yle that she had recently started taking daytime naps because of growing fatigue.
“There are many situations in which the responsibility placed on family caregivers is unreasonable and too heavy,” Tervonen said.
Statutory leave for Finnish family caregivers often goes unused
Family caregivers with a formal agreement are generally entitled to two or three days of leave each month. In practice, many do not use them.
A 2024 survey cited by Yle found that a large share of statutory leave days remained unused. Some caregivers did not know about their rights, while others lacked information about who would care for their relative during their absence.
Kivelä said she had never taken a day off and had not received clear instructions on how replacement care could be arranged.
Support also differs considerably between Finland’s 21 welfare services counties (hyvinvointialueet). According to the Finnish Association of Carers, these regional differences have created unequal access to financial support, respite services and practical assistance.
Finland’s ageing population will increase demand for care
The pressure on elderly care is expected to increase substantially over the next two decades. According to the 2024 population projection published by Statistics Finland, the number of people aged over 85 is expected to be approximately twice as high in 2045 as it was in 2024.
Statistics Finland also projects a demographic dependency ratio of 60.1 in 2045. The indicator measures the number of children and people above working age relative to the working-age population.
Finland’s legislation states that older people should be able to remain in their homes for as long as possible while receiving the services they need. Family care can support that objective, but welfare organisations argue that it should not depend on relatives assuming responsibilities that damage their own health.
Without stronger professional services and more consistent support across welfare counties, Finland risks reducing public expenditure by transferring care work, financial costs and health risks to families. Population ageing will make that balance increasingly difficult to sustain.
