What to do?

As an informal carer for a loved one

To get the best help for your situation, first answer the questions on the Preliminary questions page.

Look after your own well-being

Where can I get support for my own well-being?

While caring for your loved one, be sure to also take care of yourself.

If you have entered into an informal care agreement, you can go to the health check-up organised by your wellbeing services county (or the City of Helsinki). Some wellbeing services counties invite you for a health check-up, and in some of them, the informal carer must book a health check-up themselves. Ask your own employee.

If you are feeling fatigue, ask for help. Talk about your situation with your own employee or with another professional, such as a public health nurse, social worker, home care instructor or physician.

Tips and excercises to support your wellbeing and vigourOpens in a new window. you can find on the Carers Finland`s website.

Do you need advice and help for managing alcohol abuse? See the content about Problems with alcohol, drugs or gambling.

The aim of rehabilitation courses organised by Kela is to support your functional capacity as an informal carer and improve your quality of life. Rehabilitation courses provide you with ways to maintain your own coping and well-being. The courses are intended for those who have concluded an informal care agreement and those who care for their loved one without an agreement.

Many patient organisations also organise rehabilitation.

You can apply for a rehabilitation course alone or together with the care recipient. Kela and patient organisations organise courses for only informal carers and for informal carers together with their loved one.

Kela offers joint rehabilitation for informal carers and loved ones.Opens in a new window.

Many organisations offer conversational therapy for different situations by telephone or e.g. chat.

Carers Finland has a helplineOpens in a new window., chat for advice and a peer chat
National crisis helpline of the Finnish Association for Mental HealthOpens in a new window.
National helpline of the church (in Finnish)Opens in a new window.
Mannerheim League for Child Welfare's helpline for children and teens (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. and Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s helpline for parents (in Finnish) Opens in a new window.
Tukinet Discussion forum about memory and memory diseases (in Finnish)Opens in a new window.
Muistiliitto Support helpline for the loved ones of people with memory diseases (in Finnish)Opens in a new window.
Women's Line's helpline (page in Finnish, service also in English)Opens in a new window.. Intended for women and girls experiencing or living under the threat of violence. Professionals and informal carers can also call to talk about concerns they have about a care recipient's violence. The person answering the phone is a professional.
EHYT ry Counselling on intoxicants (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. helps with talking to your loved one or client about their use of intoxicants. The service is anonymous and confidential.

In addition, the Lähella.fi service (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. offers a wide range of activities and discussion support for informal carers in different parts of Finland, provided by different organisations.

Updated: 5/3/2024

Can I have days off and holidays?

Days off are part of the informal care agreement. You are entitled to at least two days off per month. You are entitled to three days off if you are continuously or with only minor interruptions tied to the care of your loved one 24 hours a day or constantly on a daily basis.

You can have days off

monthly
within a longer period of time if you have accumulated enough days off for e.g. a whole week off. Agree with the wellbeing services county on this.
in multiple periods of time under 24 hours long. Agree with the municipality on this.

Statutory leave does not reduce your informal carer's compensation.

A substitute carer can take care of your loved one during your statutory time off and also otherwise if you need leave. For more information, see the section Substitute carer.

The wellbeing services county may also arrange more days off for informal carers or recreational leave of less than 24 hours. The amount of leave is estimated when you make an informal care agreement or the care and client plan is updated. Recreational leave costs up to €12,80 per day.

Agree with the wellbeing services county on how the care of your loved one will be arranged during your time off.

Associations and organisations also organise holidays. Some of the holidays are for carers only, and some are for the both of you. Find more information on supported holidays on the website of Carers Finland (in Finnish).Opens in a new window.

Ask your family and friends for help if you need a break from your work as a carer.

Recreational leave may reduce the informal carer's compensation. It is specific to the wellbeing services county when the extra leave will affect your compensation.

If you care for your loved one without an informal care agreement, you are not entitled to the statutory time off included in the informal care agreement. However, you can apply for discretionary leave from the wellbeing services county under the Social Welfare Act. During the leave, the wellbeing services county will arrange a place of care for your loved one.

You may receive leave if you are involved in the care on a daily and continuous basis. Recreational leave costs up to €12,80 per day.

Associations and organisations also organise holidays. You can apply for leave even if you do not have an agreement with the wellbeing services county. Some of the holidays are for carers only, and some are for the both of you. Find more information on supported holidays on the website of Carers Finland (in Finnish).Opens in a new window.

Ask your family and friends for help if you need a break from your work as a carer.

Updated: 2/1/2023

Information on the services is not available in your chosen language. Change the language of the site to receive information on services in other languages.

What is an impact of leave and holidays on unemployment benefit?

If you are a jobseeker at a TE Office, notify the TE Office in advance if you will not be applying for full-time work during your holiday. If you interrupt your job search for your holiday, you will not receive an unemployment benefit for the time of your holiday. Applying for full-time employment is a prerequisite for receiving unemployment benefits.

You can end or temporarily suspend your job search.

If you end your job search, you must re-register as an unemployed jobseeker after your holiday.
If you temporarily suspend your job search, agree with the TE Office on how to report to them. You can already indicate the period for which you are on holiday. You can also report separately when you resume your job search after your holiday.

Updated: 22/3/2022

Peer support

Informal care can often last a long time, and its nature and the level of stress associated with it may change along the way. It is important to talk to peers about your situation and coping, so go to peer support groups or find contacts e.g. on social media.

Peer support is offered by:

Affiliate associations of Carers FinlandOpens in a new window. (in Finnish) around the country organise different types of activities, such as peer groups, recreational events and other events At the events, you can meet people in a similar life situation and share experiences.
Affiliate associations of Inclusion Finland KVTLOpens in a new window. (in Finnish)
Finnish Central Association of Families of People with Mental Illness - FinFamiOpens in a new window.
Finnish Red Cross – Coping as a Family CaregiverOpens in a new window.
Alzheimer Society of Finland peer supportOpens in a new window. (in Finnish)
Leijonaemot – peer support for parents of children with special needsOpens in a new window. (in Finnish)
Vammaisperheyhdistys Jaatinen - association for children with disabilities and their familiesOpens in a new window.

If you are concerned e.g. about another informal carer or their loved one, you can submit a report of concern to the municipality.

Updated: 14/5/2024

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