Family care – care and common activities in everyday life

The Lohja residents Tuula and Heikki Meronen have been clients in family care from May 2023 for almost two years. The couple ended up in family care, because Heikki was not happy with the interval care offered outside the home when Tuula’s carer was on leave.

“Our own contact person, Heidi Rantanen, suggested family care. We got excited about the idea that Heikki could make friends with someone, and I could run some errands elsewhere. This way, Heikki enjoys being at home and is not forced to move to a foreign place,” Tuula explains.

From the very start, the carer for the Meronens has been Reijo Kortet, who visits the couple practically every week. Reijo has worked as a family carer for almost five years.

“I retired in 2019 and immediately the following year I participated in the training required for family carers. I joined the family care services because I like the company of people,” Reijo says.

Becoming a client in family care requires an extensive assessment of the need for services.

“If you are interested in family care, we suggest that you contact Senior Info. Senior Info will assess the client’s need for help and their functional ability, and the readiness of the family care services to respond to their needs. Family care always begins with a meet-up visit and a trial period to see whether the personalities match. Both parties still have the opportunity to abandon any cooperation,” explains Jonna Savaloja, project expert in the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County.

Family care can be organised in the form of short-term, long-term, part-time or round-the-clock service. Reijo usually keeps Heikki company for four hours per visit.

“It is flexible to set up visits with Reijo. If I have got plans for the evening, for example a meeting with the peer support group, Reijo arrives a bit later around five o’clock and spends the evening with Heikki. They might even heat up the sauna,” Tuula says.

Reijo and Heikki spend a lot of time outdoors together. In addition, they watch television and cook together.

“We try out many new recipes. Today, for example, we are cooking citrus chicken. When Tuula returns home, she can simply sit down and have dinner,” Reijo says.

In Heikki's opinion, the best thing are the walks together with Reijo.

“Walking and chatting are the best bits,” Heikki mentions.

Last summer, for the first time in many years, Tuula was away from home overnight, and Reijo kept Heikki company.

“I was invited on a cruise to Stockholm with my brother and his wife, who had come to visit me from Florida,” Tuula explains.

Usually when Reijo comes for a visit, Tuula runs errands, has a coffee with a friend or goes for a long walk.

“For us, this family care concept is the best possible one, and I can recommend it to others as well. Reijo is good company for Heikki, and the best part for me is to meet up with my friends in the group for close relatives and friends and receive peer support,” Tuula says.

Dear senior citizen, would you need support from a family carer?

• If you are already a client in informal care support or home care, please contact your own contact person.
• If you are not yet our client, you can receive more information at Senior Info tel. 029 1512 270

Would you like to become a family carer for the elderly?

• More information: luvn.fi search term -> Family care for the elderly
• Jonna Savaloja, tel. 040 646 6443