19 Feb 2019 Finnish Greens’ Parliamentary Fraction published their senior policy guidelines, prepared in cooperation with the Aged Greens in Finland and Helsinki area Evergreens. You can read the guidelines hereunder:
“Green senior policy is based on respect for elderly people. Elderly people have a wealth of experience, knowledge, and abilities. Their active social participation entails benefits for all of us and is, above all, a source of pleasure for themselves. Each aged person deserves to get good-quality care and support in every-day life and, likewise, versatile stimuli.
The essential thing in good old age is to retain one’s decision-power regarding one’s life. Elderly persons shall have a right to full life and to self-realization within their physical and mental capabilities. The Greens support an active role of elderly people as citizens.
(1) Sufficient livelihood to everybody
The total monthly retirement pension of nearly every fourth pensioner is under one thousand EURO. The position of women living alone and over 75 years of age is especially weak. The livelihood of pensioners getting the lowest incomes has to be improved.
We want to:
– make a fair increase in the amount of the guaranteed pension;
– ensure that in case of an equally high pension or salary, the take-home amount is equal; and
– harmonize the maximum amounts of medicine, travel, and patient charges.
(2) Flexibility at working life
Employees approaching the retirement age are a resource for enterprises and Society. Working life has to be improved through the introduction of flexible working hours for ageing persons.
We want to:
– extend working careers by flexible and tailor-made arrangements;
– improve job well-being through enabling part-time hours at the approach of retirement; and
– prevent age discrimination in all situations.
(3) Good care
Each elderly person deserves to get high-quality care. Families and the personnel shall be able to report mistreatment without fearing consequences.
We want to:
– ensure a sufficient number of nurses to be stipulated by legislation;
– improve the surveillance on implemented care; and
– create national rules regulating home care by family members.
(4) It pays to look after one’s health
Independence and the possibility to decide on one’s life improve the life-quality of an ageing person. Meaningful occupation supports the well-being of seniors.
We want to:
– establish elderly people’s welfare clinics;
– provide pay-checks for motioning and cultural activities, and arrange daily outing facilities; and
– give also support to the rehabilitation of severely disabled persons older than 65 years.
(5) Loneliness to be prevented together
The experience of loneliness does not depend on age or gender. Many lonely seniors are suffering from memory disturbances, depression, and lack of safety, which all contributes to increased social isolation.
We want to:
– encourage joint activities by nurseries, schools, and elderly people’s homes;
– support friend and senior social work; and
– cut traffic charges for elderly people.
(6) Housing according to phase of life and individual wishes
Regarding housing arrangements of elderly persons, each senior’s own wishes are to be complied with in the first place. Instead of expensive institutional care, less heavy collective alternatives are to be preferred.
We want to:
– offer various kinds of housing forms to elderly people;
– provide to married couples the possibility of spending their old age together; and
– ensure local services by sound community planning, transport pools, and digital services.
(7) Accessibility inherent in daily life
Accessibility is vital element of moving, running errands, acoustics, seeing, and perceiving. Equal and non-discriminatory services shall be the principle running through all public planning and construction.
We want to:
– reinforce home services for seniors;
– facilitate the moving of elderly persons and persons without cars; and
– support the installation of elevators.
(8) More taste of life to senior days through participation
Elderly persons shall be listened to in relevant decisions. The Greens want to encourage elderly persons to take part in decision-making at all levels.
We want to:
– establish the office of an Ombudsman for Seniors ;
– stabilize the position of local Old People’s Councils; and
– increase the possibilities of elderly people to contribute to decision-making.”
PLEASE INFORM US ABOUT YOUR OWN WISHES!
Heli Järvinen, MP, Vice Chairman of Parliamentary Committee for Working Life and Equality
Tel. +358 50 512 1736
e-mail: heli.jarvinen@eduskunta.fi
Reino Lampinen, Chair/Aged Greens
+358 50 5151 303
Auni-Marja Vilavaara, Chair/Evergreens of
Helsinki Region (IKIVI)
+358 50 542 5174
