Browse Ageing Policies

The objective of the establishment of an Ombudsman for older persons is to promote and assess the realisation of the basic and human rights of older persons in legislation and decision-making. The Ombudsman for older persons is an autonomous and independent authority. It collaborates with various authorities, organizations, and other parties to promote the best interests of older persons. The policy covers older persons broadly, considering factors like age, ability to function, disability, native language, financial position, place of residence, sexual orientation, or minority status. It is national in scope, focusing on the rights and status of older persons in society. The Ombudsman advocates for the rights of older persons, ensuring their consideration in legislation and decision-making. It monitors and influences matters proactively, working to ensure the best interests of older persons are met. The Act on the Ombudsman for older persons will enter into force on 1 January 2025.

The Population Policy Report of Väestöliitto has the objective of promoting the well-being of the nation, ensure ecological sustainability, and uphold global responsibility. The policy emphasizes inclusive decision-making, human rights, and scientific evidence. The main institution involved is Väestöliitto, the Family Federation of Finland, along with various experts and organizations in Finland. The report targets the entire population of Finland, addressing issues such as birth rates, immigration, internal migration, and sustainable population growth. It aims to influence national demographic trends and regional development. Key strategies include supporting families to have their desired number of children, promoting family-friendliness, increasing immigration, and enhancing integration services. The policy also focuses on ecological sustainability and balancing economic and social stability. The report highlights the need for continuous monitoring and adaptation of population policies to address demographic changes and their effects on public finances, health, and regional development. The report was published in 2020, with ongoing implementation and monitoring to adapt to future demographic trends.

The National Programme on Ageing 2030 — For an age-competent Finland is a cross-administrative programme that aims to prepare for the population ageing and to promote the well-being, inclusion, and participation of older persons in all sectors of society. The programme was prepared by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and other relevant ministries and stakeholders in 2020. The programme covers the whole population of Finland, with a special focus on older persons and risk groups that need preventive measures to improve their functional ability. The programme outlines six main impact objectives and corresponding measures. Some of the objectives are: 1) To direct to older persons and risk groups preventive measures that improve functional ability, 2) To extend the functional ability and working careers of older working-age people, especially in social and health care, and 3) To increase the age-friendliness of housing and residential environments. The programme also defines cross-sectorial objectives, such as influencing attitudes towards ageing, or identifying and making use of opportunities related to population ageing. In terms of timeline, the programme will be in force until 2030.

The Work Ability Programme aimed to eliminate obstacles to the employment of people with partial work ability and develop services to support their work ability and employability. The programme was implemented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The programme covered the unemployed with partial work ability and the long-term unemployed in Finland. The programme sought to prevent prolonged unemployment and incapacity for work and increase labour market involvement of those with a weak labour market position. The programme had seven aims, such as identifying the need for work ability support, providing individual and timely services, strengthening the expertise of professionals, promoting the creation of jobs, developing services for employers, reforming the rehabilitation paths and services, and seeking solutions to lower the recruitment threshold. The programme developed work ability support services in the well-being services counties' health and social services centres, which are new regional entities that provide social and health services in Finland. The programme ran from 2019 to 2023.