Report on the 6th meeting study group Futeurope Amersfoort  4th June 2008 Present:  Henri Braakenburg, Coen van Baggum, Bertie Linschoten, Johan Riemersma, Maria Storsbergen, Isabel Terpstra, Ridie Vos, Lenie Nebbeling. Not present (with notification): Gerbert Rebel.  Meeting in the communal room of the residential complex for 55+ Bloemendaalse Buitenkade 11. 1.Opening  No changes to the agenda.2.Report meeting 7th May 2008. The next meeting will be in the same place and will be chaired by Coen .Work is in progress to make our own leaflet with the same appearance but with Dutch texts. All members will inform Henri about the number of leaflets he wants to hand-out to inform a broader audience about the existence and goals of FutEurope. Ridie wants to tell something in Finland about housing for the elderly but no formal presentation. The final program of the visit to Finland we didn’t receive yet. Henri did ask however, if there was some time left for a presentation about elderly homes in the Netherlands. 3. Incoming mail, web-reports partner countries. Hungary made up a notion about health issues. We will discuss it and publish our reaction on the website (has been done). Our group will make a presentation about Futeurope and the visit to Finland in a meeting for elderly citizens in Amersfoort.4. Announcements and asking around.Isabel wants another picture of our group for use on the website. In a following meeting she will arrange a good photographer.Johan proposes to visit the age-old institution for the elderly “Armen de Poth” during the meeting of FutEurope next year to Amersfoort.Coen will make a proposal for reflections and plans for the future of our group.From the English we hear almost nothing. We hope toe learn more about their activities during our visit to Finland.In our meeting 3^rd September we will discuss plans for our next themes and activities. When possible we will invite experts on certain themes to introduce us in the topics.5 Closing 

    Update report from the meeting of the Futeurope project in Kiuruvesi, Finland, June 10-13, 2008.  

Attended by:Angela Quinn – Amber Valley CVS

Christine and Terry Whittaker – Representing Heanor 50+ Forum

Tracey Sims – Amber valley CVS 

Our visit to Kiuruvesi in Finland followed a formal agenda which encompassed meetings, presentations and visits to facilities for older people.

This report aims to illustrate and share what we have learnt from this brief visit in relation to the support older people receive in Finland.

 The National framework for high quality care and services for older people, issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, February 2008 includes the following targets to be achieved by 2012 in relation to those aged over 75:

91 – 92% to live independantly at home (With the support of adequate social and health services granted on the basis of a comprehensive needs assessment)

13 – 14% to receive regular home care

5 – 6% to receive support for informal care

5 – 6% to receive sheltered housing with 24 hour assistance

3% to receive long term institutional care in a residential home or hospital

 Home care in Finland:

(For a hard copy of the ‘Housing in Finland’ report provided by our hosts please contact Tracey Sims or Angela Quinn at Amber Valley CVS (01773 512076)

Home care is provided by ‘multi professional home care teams’ (domestic help, nurses and physiotherapists)

Informal carers are supported with ‘interval care’ during the carers ‘day off’

62% of houses in Finland were built in the 1970’s or later

One of the main targets of the Council in Kiuruvesi is the development of housing conditions.

Approximately 50% of those aged over 65 live in single housing

In 2000 14.5% of people in Kiuruvesi lived in insufficient housing (without washing facilities and/or heating)

Approximately 90% of those aged over 75 years live at home

 Home care payments:

Without means – no payment

Temporary homecare - €7-9 per visit (including visits from nurses) 

Long term institutional care:Long term institutional care costs a maximum of 82% of a person’s net income 

Sheltered Housing:The ‘customer’ pays everything for themselves (with support if they are entitiled to it)Payments include: rent, care, food, cleaning, electricity, laundry, medicines and health care) 

Support care includes:Meals on wheels – which are delivered daily by taxi at a cost to the individual of €5.70

Transport – to Sauna’s/ bathing facilities – Free for those with disabilities and war veterans

Safety phones/ alarm systems

A laundry service

Running erands – i.e shopping

The cost of the above services is dependant on income and the hours needed.

Clients are assessed either within their own homes or in residential care

Nursing euipment (i.e hygiene products) are prescribed and are free of charge.

A medicine delivery service is carried out by local chemists and medicines are dispensed in daily dosage packages.

 Preventative care:Regular assessments are offerred at 70 and 75 years of age

These look at general health and the individuals  ‘living circle’ (i.e. support from family of friends).

Home visits are offered for everyone at the age of 80 to check their home facilities

Exercise afternoons for ‘seniors’ are held which include information on subjects of ‘elderly peoples interests’

 Education:There are a wide range of free courses available for older people including:

Election debate

Hunting and gardening

Sailing

Computer Skills

Languages (Finnish, Russian, English, Sign language)

Music

Art/ visual art/ practical crafts and renovation

Dance

Nutrition

‘Outreach’ courses are held in more isolated villages/ towns

Open Uiniversity Courses are also available at a cost of approximately €300 dependant on the course taken

 Senior Councils:Have been in place since 1996

They exist in most towns and are not compulsary (but are recommended)

The Senior Councils consist of representatives from local service providers.

 Pensions/ contributions:The average pension is €1194 per month

War veterans recieve an aditional supplement to their pension of just over €40 per  month

Non contributory care support costs €54,80 per month

Increased support costs €136, per month

Special support costs €288,49 per month

Short term institutional care costs €12 per day

The maximum payment for ‘communal health care’ is €590 per calendar year, after that non institutional care is free of charge

The following are included in the maximum payment:

• Medical services of health centre doctors
• Physiotherapy services
• Day surgery
• Short term institutional care charges in health or social care institutions

 There is a reposnsibility for people to pay €643.14 per year for medicine costs. After this amount has been met a cost of €1.50 is charged for medicines. People are allowed to purchase three months worth of medication at a time  

Current convesational topics in housing in Finland: The ways of housing in the future:

• Leasehold schemes – buying a proportion of the property with the remaining portion owned by an association
• Generations living together in the same household is evolving again
• Assisted living at home with home services i.e meals on wheels, cleaning, laundry, health, social and cultural services
• Sheltered housing for small groups with supported services
• Close relatives taking care of the elderly or disabled at home
• Privately owned care homes
• Institutional care homes for the elderly

 Living at home supported by:

• Subsidising mortgage loans
• Subsidies for renovating heating systems
• Reduced taxes for those renovating their own homes
• State support for the construction of elevators in housing blocks
• Regular transportation from sparsely populated/ urban areas

 Utilisation of modern technology in housing:

• Computer controlled monitoring of functions in houses i.e the consumption of water and electricity, temperature levels, surveillance of the quality of air inside houses.
• Video surveillance in rooms
• Wrist alrms and telephones with large dials
• Motor adjusting beds
• Opening and shutting of doors with electric power
• Possible use of wheelchairs inside and outside buildings

The next study meeting is planned to take place in Debrecen, Hungary in October 2008 which will coincide with their ‘Month of Seniors’

If you have any comments you would like to make on the differences or similarites in relation to care for older people in Finland with that of England, or if you have any questions you would like to raise please complete the form below and return it to:

Tracey sims

Amber Valley CVS,

Market Place,

Ripley,

Derbyshire,

DE5 3HA

Grundtvig Futeurope Project 4^th June 2008  13.30pm 

Meeting with Heanor 50+

Wilmot Street

Heanor,

Derbyshire.

Attendance 30 members

Open discussion around Health, Leisure , Housing , Education and Retirement in other countries.

Health & Leisure

1.  Home Help.      

The government in England now pay the individual directly, this is called Attendance Allowance. This is a weekly payment which enables older people to pay for help at home services to maintain independent living.

Problems arising:

Elderly people are trying to get good quality service for their money which they find hard, Social Care used to provide this service and the government gave the funding directly to Social Services to provide the services for free. Now it is paid direct to the individual issues  and confusion is arising . People are used to collecting the benefit at their local Post Office, many of the local village Post Offices are now being closed , which means the elderly are having to travel further to collect pensions, benefits etc., A lot of the areas around Derbyshire are very rural. Transport then becomes an issue.

2. Keeping Fit.       

The members would like to have free over 60’s classes to keep people fit and active. We are all living longer.

3. GP services        

Local Doctors are not aware of all the services available to them. There is a lack of communication and elderly people feel the doctors think they are “past it” and the care they need isn’t there.

 Recommendations:

 Information provided to members in the 50 not out newsletter around Help at Home Service. Also committee to invite a representative from Derbyshire Primary Care Trust to discuss quality of services. Also to assist in discussions with local councils and leisure facilities for either free or low cost services.

Committee to feedback to Links project (Manager to be invited along to next open forum.)

Committee also to feedback to the Regional 50 + regarding Post Office closures in rural areas.

 Housing

1.Sheltered Housing

New sheltered houses being built in the local area: It is not taken into account that older people have disabilities or indeed may have in the future. Planning does not take into account , that people may well be fit when they move in but could very easily become disabled in some form. If just basics i e light switches lowered, walk in showers ground floor accommodation( not two or three storey flats) were in place , elderly people would be able to live more independently at home and not put into care homes.

  Recommendation :

Amber Valley Housing Ltd, Walbrook Housing and Three Valleys Housing will be invited to attend a for questions to be put forward.

Education : 1.       Learning new skills:   The local learning centre’s in Amber Valley closed earlier this year with only a couple of days notice. The funding was diverted away from providing courses for adult learners and used to provide more specialist courses for those under 18 years of age. Some of the members were in the middle of computer sessions and unable to complete the course. The closure was due to funding . “As a nation we are living longer and need to keep our brains in working order” The question being : Why is there a cut in provision and not an increase ? Funding should be more equal.

Recommendations:                                         

Committee to take questions forward to regional 50 +

Retirement :

The members are very interested in how retirement works in other countries:

Do they pay into a scheme?

What happens if a person hasn’t worked for a few years?

What kind of benefits do they receive?  

English delegates to feedback after Finland visit. 

 Meeting closed at 16.00pm

To download this document click the link underneath.

Amersfoort Futeurope studygroup Some discussion points about health and care for senior citizens. Ridi Vos May 2008

Living Service Areas (LSAs) by Ridi Vos

Definition:

a LSA is an area where people with physical, mental or psychological disabilities and elderly can live independently, because it offers a tailored supportof living, wellbeing and care services that can be called upon as and when required.

This puts certain demands on the housing stock, the living environment and the provision of wellbeing and care services, and - crucially – the interaction between those.

General requirements:

Housing stock:

The area has (adjusted) houses that are suitable for people that have a need for care. Said houses - within a 500 meter radius of facilities - need to be accessible by wheelchairs and “rollators”. Access to the home should be without obstacles, there are no or limited thresholds, and the width of doors is such that they can be passed through by a wheelchair without the

help of others.

Living environment:

The living environment (pedestrian routes, benches, etc.) has to be suitable for the target group so that they can go outside by themselves and maintain contacts with their community. The living environment has to be safe from a social and physical point of view; there should be facilities for mobility.

Services and facilities regarding wellbeing and care:

The area should have services and facilities facilitating the daily functioning and social participation of the people concerned. Minimum requirements include community meeting halls, shops, information points, meal service and care clinic (GP, pharmacy, etc.). These services and facilities should be available and easily accessible around the clock (24 hours a day) as well as on call and on appointment.

Amersfoort City Council is developing a total of nine LSAs in co-operation with inhabitants, social organisations, housing associations and care providers. Its criteria are:

- age build-up in the area, i.e. the aging of the local population and the prognosis. The forecast is that by 2024 the share of elderly (55+) in the population will be 40% in four local areas;

- the social-economic situation;

- opportunities that might arise because of local planning (e.g. regeneration);

- the presence of any existing facilities that could easily be extended/used;

- the presence, or the lack of, services and facilities.

Sources:

- Policy framework WMO 2008 - 2011

- Project Plan LSAs by Amersfoort City Council (under embargo)

A G E N D A

for the Futeurope meeting in Kiuruvesi, Finland (Wednesday, June 11, 09:00 a.m., Thursday, June 12, 09:30 a.m.)
1. Opening and welcome

2. Who is who?: getting acquainted

3. Update report per group (one reporter per group):
• number of meetings
• number of students
• themes discussed
• outside support
• organisation & management (chair, reporting, etc.)

4. Website & forum

5. Debrecen meeting (October 8 –11)

6. Any other matter

7. Closure
A G E N D A

for the meeting of the Futeurope organisers committee in Kiuruvesi, Finland, June 10-13, 2008.
1. Interim report per group (to be sent in by June 30):
• number of meetings
• number of students
• number of exchanges plus participants (staff/learners)
• use of website
• PR and leaflet
• publicity plan

2. Financial aspects

3. Planning of visits to Hungary, UK and Netherlands

4. Outline for good practice guide & hand out

5. Any other matter