Statement on services for the elderly and disabled

The task of the Kihniö Municipality Council for the Elderly and Disabled is to ensure that the voice of the municipality's elderly and disabled residents is heard in decision-making concerning them and that their rights are realized. The council is committed to promoting the well-being of the elderly and disabled, highlighting their needs and monitoring the situation of services in cooperation with the municipality and the welfare area.

Every elderly and disabled person has the right to safe, timely and appropriate care and support. This right must not be compromised due to a lack of resources or the economic situation of the welfare area. The Council does not take a position on individual cases, but emphasizes that the people of Kihni must have access to the services they need without delay.

National statistics show that there are significant challenges in accessing care. According to THL's 2025 access to care statistics, access to non-urgent care in primary health care increasingly exceeds the 14-day care guarantee, and in some welfare areas up to 27% of clients wait longer for care than the legislation allows. Delays have increased especially among the elderly. 34% of those over 75 report that they have not received the care they need in a timely manner.

There are also delays in accessing further care. According to a 2026 report by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the wait for a further care place after discharge from hospital lasts an average of 5–12 days in small towns, and delays have increased by 18% between 2023 and 2025. Delays are most common in areas where the service network has been reduced and the staff shortage is greatest. The service network has been reduced significantly in Kihniö.

Research evidence shows that interruptions in care chains impair the functional capacity and safety of the elderly and disabled. An analysis published by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare in 2025 shows that delaying follow-up care by more than five days increases the risk of functional impairment by 30%. A gerontological study by the University of Helsinki (2024–2026) confirms that clear service guidance and timely discharge reduce the need for additional services and prevent feelings of insecurity.

In disability services, the processing times for service decisions have increased after the welfare area reform. According to the 2025 report of the Disability Services Research Network, the processing time has increased by an average of 12 days, and the disruption of service chains often leads to a decrease in everyday assistance and an increase in the burden on relatives.

In Kihniö, the reduction of services has had a significant impact on access to care. Urgent care has been completely discontinued, and non-urgent care is only available three days a week. This has weakened the accessibility of services, especially for the elderly and disabled.

In laboratory services, the availability of fasting blood tests is a particular concern. In Kihniö, blood tests are only available once a week, and appointments are often booked several weeks in advance. Many elderly and disabled people do not have access to their own car, and public transport runs sporadically. There is no public transport at all in the surrounding villages. The availability of Kela taxis is poor, and long journeys constitute a significant cost for the client and society. Relatives often do not have the opportunity to take time off work to arrange transport. 

The Council also highlights the uncertainty experienced by patients and their families in arranging follow-up care. In the worst cases, patients are transferred several times from one municipality to another without their families being adequately informed. This burdens patients and increases the feeling of insecurity.

The Council is also concerned about the adequacy of staff resources. Nursing staff must have enough time to assess the patient, hear their wishes and make informed decisions. Rushing, excessive patient volumes and staff workload increase the risk of medical errors and weaken decision-making ability.

 Council's request for clarification on the Pirkanmaa welfare region

The Kihniö Municipality Council for the Elderly and Disabled requests a report from the Pirkanmaa Welfare Region on the access to care for the elderly and disabled in Kihniö, the implementation of follow-up care, discharge practices, and changes in services in the Kihniö area. The report must include information on changes in services in 2023–2026, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

The Council also requests a report on the availability and use of laboratory services and the adequacy of human resources in health and medical services.

The Council for the Elderly and Disabled proposes that the municipality begin to survey the current need for service traffic. In the Council's view, an evaluation of the service is necessary because the service does not currently exist. The Council wants to ensure that elderly and disabled residents have access to services. Kihniö has had service traffic, which was discontinued in 2024. The service was discontinued because there were not enough users.

The study should at least examine the needs of the target groups as well as cost and organization options.

The council believes that the survey is an important part of the well-being and health of the elderly and disabled and that it supports equal opportunities for municipal residents to do business and participate.

Senior Citizens' Day, initiated by the Finnish Federation of Elderly Care, has been celebrated on the first Sunday of October since 1954. The following week is Senior Citizens' Week.

The next Senior Citizens' Week will be celebrated from 5 to 11 October 2026 with the theme Everyday encounters – Möten i vardagenThe annual national celebration of Senior Citizens' Day will be on Sunday, October 4, 2026 in Joensuu.

The theme Everyday Encounters encapsulates what the work of the association's activities is fundamentally about: moments between people that may not necessarily seem big, but which have enormous significance for the everyday life of an elderly person.

The theme reminds us that a good everyday life is not just created by structures, services and systems, but by genuine encounters. By being seen, by being heard, by someone stopping.

A good old age is built in small moments and we must be able to invest in them.

This year, schools have also been invited to join the event. The aim is to shift the perspective so that young people organize the event for the elderly.

According to the Finnish Federation of Elderly Care, educational institutions have a unique opportunity to create encounters between generations. A single visit, a moment together, or a small event organized by students can be the most significant event of the week, or even the entire autumn, for an elderly person. At the same time, students gain valuable experience in interaction, participation, and understanding of aging.