Quality recommendation to guarantee a good quality of life and improved services for older persons 2017–2019
MInistry of Social Affairs and Health
15.03.2018
Julkaisusarja:
Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 1/2018
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-00-3906-6Tiivistelmä
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities issued quality recommendations for developing services for older people in 2001, 2008 and 2013. In 2017, the quality recommendation has been updated to accommodate on-going changes in the policy and operational environment and the objectives of the Government Programme and the General Government Fiscal Plan. Similarly to its earlier versions, the current Quality Recommendation also aims to support the implementation of the Act on Supporting the Functional Capacity of the Older Population and on Social and Health Care Services for Older Persons. The Quality Recommendation was prepared by a broad-based working group in consultation with experts.
The recommendation is primarily intended to support decision-makers in municipalities, local government co-management areas for social welfare and health care and counties1 with developing and evaluating their services for older people. It can also be utilised by many other parties, including providers of social and healthcare services, professionals in the field and third-sector actors, for planning and evaluating their activities.
The objective of the Quality Recommendation is to guarantee optimal health and functional capacity for the entire older population as well as high-quality, effective services for those older persons who need them. Similarly to the Act on Care Services for Older Persons, some of the recommendations thus are population-level recommendations, while others target the individual level. The main contents of the Quality Recommendation are:
1. Working together to secure optimal functional capacity for older persons
2. Putting client and service counselling at the centre
3. High-quality services are provided by competent professionals
4. Age-friendly service structure
5. Making the most of technology.
Specific recommendations have been formulated for each content area. Particular attention was paid to providing evidence-based justifications and indicators for the various thematic areas that can be used to systematically evaluate the implementation of the recommendations. Key concepts have also been defined
The recommendation is primarily intended to support decision-makers in municipalities, local government co-management areas for social welfare and health care and counties1 with developing and evaluating their services for older people. It can also be utilised by many other parties, including providers of social and healthcare services, professionals in the field and third-sector actors, for planning and evaluating their activities.
The objective of the Quality Recommendation is to guarantee optimal health and functional capacity for the entire older population as well as high-quality, effective services for those older persons who need them. Similarly to the Act on Care Services for Older Persons, some of the recommendations thus are population-level recommendations, while others target the individual level. The main contents of the Quality Recommendation are:
1. Working together to secure optimal functional capacity for older persons
2. Putting client and service counselling at the centre
3. High-quality services are provided by competent professionals
4. Age-friendly service structure
5. Making the most of technology.
Specific recommendations have been formulated for each content area. Particular attention was paid to providing evidence-based justifications and indicators for the various thematic areas that can be used to systematically evaluate the implementation of the recommendations. Key concepts have also been defined