Waiting times for elderly services

Waiting times for Kustavi’s elderly services 15.02.2021 – 15.08.2021

The Elderly Services Act (980/2012, section 26) obliges the municipality to publish, at least every six months, information on the period during which an elderly person can receive the social services he or she has applied for. Waiting times for access to social services for an elderly person (Section 26): The waiting time is the average time that has elapsed since the application was submitted when the elderly person has actually received the services he or she has applied for. An elderly person can receive the social services he or she is applying for in non-urgent situations within three months of the decision being made.

A decision must be made on the social services that an elderly person urgently needs and the services must be provided without delay. This should be done in such a way that the elderly person’s right to necessary care is not compromised. If necessary, the necessary care must be secured by temporary arrangements. Depending on the urgency of the case, the situation may require the service to be arranged immediately or within a few days.

Services and their average waiting time in Kustavi

Service needs assessment: Within two (2) to five (5) business days of contact. In urgent cases, an assessment of the need for the service will be made on the same or the next day.

Home care: The service will start as soon as the service needs assessment and service needs have been identified. In urgent situations, the service is available the same or the next day.

Support services: The service will start as soon as the service needs assessment and service needs have been identified. In urgent situations, it is possible to get some services on the same day.

Family care allowance: PService decision within two (2) weeks of application. (subject to budget)

Enhanced residential care: In the event of a crisis, a short-term place (not necessarily a private room, a corridor) will be arranged within 24 hours of contact. The average waiting time for applicants who meet the criteria for permanent residential care is two (2) to eight (8) weeks.

Learn more about waiting times:

Waiting times for social services sought by an elderly person

Waiting times for social services applied for by an elderly person Kustavi 15.2.2021 – 15.08.2021.

According to section 26 of the Elderly Services Act, the municipality must publish at least semi-annually information on the period during which an elderly person can receive the social services he or she is applying for. The information shall be published in such a way that the elderly person has effective access to the information.

The waiting period is the average time that has elapsed between the submission of the application and the actual receipt of the services requested by the elderly person. Waiting times are monitored on a service-by-service basis.

Waiting times should be published using several different information channels. (Elderly Services Act 980/2012, STM and the Finnish Association of Local Authorities “Elderly Services Act” memorandum to support the implementation and interpretation of the Act on 28 June 2013, Valvira’s instructions to the authorities 8/2013)

In Kustavi, the information is published semi-annually in January and July on the municipality’s website, on the notice boards of the Jaala Home and Service Center, and in a municipal bulletin distributed to all households.

Home care and home care support services:

The assessment of the need for the service has been completed within an average of 1–5 working days. The average waiting time from the application / assessment of the need for services to the implementation of home services has been 1 day or later at the customer’s request. Urgent home service is started on the same day the application or service request is received. The waiting time for the granted catering service has been 0–1 working days and the waiting time for the provided security service (security telephone) has been approximately 10 working days.

Family care allowance:

The family care allowance can be granted from the beginning of the month following the receipt of the application. The evaluation visits for family care support have been significantly delayed during the past year.

Enhanced 24-hour residential care or family care:

The average waiting time from application to implementation of the service has been 61 days. During the waiting period, clients are either covered by regular home care services or are waiting for a permanent round-the-clock care in short-term care or in a ward at a health center.

Decision on the provision of social services and the right to services

According to section 18 of the Elderly Services Act, the municipality must make a decision on the provision of social services urgently needed by an elderly person due to a written or oral application and arrange the provided services without delay, so that the elderly person’s right to necessary care is not endangered.

The decision to provide non-emergency social services shall be taken without undue delay after the written or oral application has been received. An elderly person has the right to receive non-emergency social services provided to him or her without undue delay and no later than three months after the decision.

The completion of the services provided within the prescribed period therefore means a different matter from the waiting period.

The customer has the right to receive the granted service within three months of the decision. The waiting time, on the other hand, is the average time that has elapsed between the submission of the customer’s application and the time when the customer has actually received the services requested.