As an informal carer for a loved one

Carers Finland instructs and supports informal carers in different situations:

• The Omainen hoitajana guide series (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. offers support in Finnish for care and help at home when the care recipient is an adult. The themes of the guides include nutrition, safe pharmacotherapy, behavioural symptoms of the loved one being cared for, and other topics related to care.  
• Carers Finland Service guide (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. offers information in Finnish on the services available for supporting you in your work as an informal carer. 
• Carers Finland helpline (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. is there to answer any questions you may have about informal care.  
• You can also find a list of courses, coaching and other events targeted at informal carers on the website of Carers Finland (in Finnish)Opens in a new window.. 

Taking care of your loved one's everyday life may be particularly challenging if you don't live in the same town.  It is particularly important to be there for moral support and for your loved one to have someone to talk to.

If you live far away, it can be challenging to be able to help with everyday life activities. In this case, you will need a support network that may include other family members, relatives, friends and neighbours. It is also worth applying for the necessary support services and home care, i.e. home nursing and care and nurture from your wellbeing services county. You can also purchase various housekeeping services from private companies or organisations.

Carers Finland instructs and supports informal carers in different situations:

• Carers Finland service guide (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. offers information in Finnish on the services available for supporting you in your work as an informal carer. 
• Carers Finland helpline (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. is there to answer any questions you may have about informal care. 
• You can also find a list of courses, coaching and other events targeted at informal carers on the website of Carers Finland (in Finnish)Opens in a new window.. 

You can find information in Finnish on acting as a child's informal carer on the Omaishoitajana lapselle page (in Finnish)Opens in a new window.. 

If needed, you can get or buy help with e.g.

• cleaning and other housekeeping
• daily activities such as eating and hygiene
• administering medicines
• grocery shopping and running other errands 
• the care recipient's mobility and transport
• the care recipient's safety (e.g. safety wristband).

The care recipient may also have the right to a personal assistant in addition to an informal carer. You may be given special aids at home and the care recipient may also receive care outside the home during day time and on a short-term basis. If necessary, they may receive home nursing. 

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s  handbook on disability servicesOpens in a new window. offers more information on support services available.

The wellbeing services county must ensure the care of your loved one when you are on your statutory leave.

If the person you care is advisable that you apply for a parking card for people with reduced mobility. The parking card entitles its holder to park in a disabled parking space. The parking card can also be issued when a family member is driving the vehicle. The parking card is personal and it can be used in different vehicles.  At the same time, you can apply for an exemption from the base tax of vehicle tax. You can apply for a parking card for people with reduced mobility (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom. 

In addition, your loved one may be entitled to transport services from the wellbeing services county , i.e. they may receive support for using a taxi.

If your child is physically disabled because of their disability, you should apply for a parking card for people with reduced mobility be able to park in disabled parking spots. The parking card can also be issued when a family member is driving the vehicle. The parking card is personal and it can be used in different vehicles.  At the same time, you can apply for an exemption from the base tax of vehicle tax. You can apply for a parking card for people with reduced mobility (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

You can also apply for a transport service from the wellbeing services county's services for the disabled, i.e. you can receive support for using a taxi.

Organisations provide information and services that help in everyday life:

• Leijonaemot ry offers support for families (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. e.g. with applying for support services, child care and housekeeping, and filling out applications for Kela.
• Inclusion Finland KVTL’s website has a quick guide to family services (pdf, in Finnish)Opens in a new window. 
• Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s childcare serviceOpens in a new window. and Family Federation of Finland’s Kotisisar service (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. offer trained nurses for children in need of special support athome.  
• The Perhelomitus service of the Service Foundation for People with an Intellectual Disability (KVPS) (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. comes to the house during the parents’ leave to look after all family members staying at home and carry out the daily household chores.
• The free legal advice of Inclusion Finland KVTLOpens in a new window.  provides advice on matters related to the rights and services of persons with disabilities and their families. 

Often, the power of attorney has been specified for a particular assignment:

• A general power of attorney lists, by way of example, the legal acts that the assignee may take and gives the right to take other similar actions. Your loved one can give you the right to manage e.g. their banking.
• A power of attorney for legal proceedings does not specify the task that the mandate concerns, but the scope and quality of the mandate remains subject to the agreement between the issuer of the power of attorney and the assignee. 
• Suomi.fi e-Authorizations make it possible to act in behalf of another person in digital services . For example, the person close to you may grant you the right to use the pharmacy services or submit a tax return on their behalf. Read more about Suomi.fi e-Authorisations. If they cannot grant a mandate in the Suomi.fi online service independently because of lack of competence or identification tokens, for example, you can prepare a mandate application together. Read instructions for how to grant mandates without using electronic services. 
• Also Kela's own power of attorney templateOpens in a new window., available in printed form as well at Kela's offices, can be used to handle Kela matters related to benefits.

If necessary, check with the service provider how you can act on behalf of a person in their service.

Your loved one can write a mandate for guardianship in which they determine in advance who will manage their financial matters and other matters when they are no longer able to do it themselves. The mandate for guardianship (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. will enter into force only based on a confirmation by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.  

On the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's website, you can find a list of lighter alternatives for guardianshipOpens in a new window.. 

The appointment of a guardian is a last resort option to organise the management of a person's affairs. Before applying for a guardian, it is a good idea to consider whether other measures can be taken to see to the management of affairs.  

An advance directive should also be written when your loved one is still able to make decisions. The advance directive expresses what kind of treatment and care you wish to receive if you are unable to participate in making decisions about the matter due to your state of health. The advance directive should always be written down, even though expressing it verbally also makes it valid. You can find an advance directive form e.g. on the website of the Alzheimer Society of Finland (in Finnish)Opens in a new window.. 

It is a good idea to discuss and agree on matters in advance when your loved one is still able to make decisions. Especially as a remote informal carer, it is a good idea for you to plan how you could manage their affairs if necessary.

If your loved one who is a care recipient has bought something e.g. from a telemarketer, you might be able to cancel the sale.  With most distance selling products, you have 14 days to cancel the sale without any special reason. 

A sale may also be cancelled if your loved one has, for example, been pressured to buy or your loved one's rights to make purchases are restricted (limitation of legal capacity).  

What do I do?

1. Contact the company where the product or service was purchased immediately. You can find instructions on the ‘Elderly people and consumer protection’ site (Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority).Opens in a new window.
2. If you cannot solve the matter with the company, you can get help from the Consumer advice of the Finnish Competition and Consumer AuthorityOpens in a new window.. 

If your loved one is disabled or over 65 years old, you can apply for a renovation allowance from the Housing Finance and Development Center ARA. You may receive assistance e.g. for necessary alterations to the kitchen or bathroom. The ARA allowance is influenced by your income and wealth.

VTKL – The Finnish Association for the Welfare of Older Adults gives home repair advice for elderly over 65 and helps them in applying repair allowances nationwideOpens in a new window.. You can ask their repair advisor about different alternatives for implementing the necessary changes. If necessary, they will direct you to the correct expert.