National Coalition Party proposes new age policies in Finland

The National Coalition Party parliamentary group in Finland has released a new age policy publication aimed at addressing the growing, invisible caregiving burden placed on relatives of the elderly. Led by MP, physician, and professor Maaret Castrén, the group argues that the social and health service system should not rely on relatives as an unofficial backup system.

Castrén emphasized that while the help provided by family members, friends, or neighbors is invaluable, it must be based on voluntarism rather than necessity. The party seeks to ensure that individuals do not have to sacrifice their employment, income, or personal lives due to a lack of adequate professional support for elderly relatives.

Proposed solutions include improving the household tax deduction for the elderly, equalizing costs for medicine and social/healthcare payment caps, and implementing automatic payments for additional pensions earned through work performed during retirement. The party also advocates for better recognition of informal support networks within social and health services and providing low-threshold support to caregivers before crises occur.