Resident and staff at the Kannelmäki assisted living facility in Helsinki. Photo: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva
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Most 24-hour elderly care units in Finland have reduced staff numbers this year following a government decision to lower the legal minimum staffing ratio.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said Thursday that the number of care workers has dropped by about 3,500, or nine percent, even though the number of residents in care homes has not changed.
From January, the statutory minimum ratio was set at 0.6 workers per client, down from 0.65.
In April, the most common staffing ratio was between 0.60 and 0.64. The share of care units maintaining a level of at least 0.65 fell by nearly 60 percent compared to 2023.
The current minimum was first used in 2022, but more units are now operating closer to that minimum than during its earlier application. Fewer facilities now exceed the 0.65 or 0.7 staffing levels.
Saana Saske, specialist at THL, said the legal minimum alone does not guarantee sufficient care. “Staffing must reflect the actual service needs of the clients to ensure quality around the clock,” she said.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
