Social problem of elderly people in Finland

Social problem of elderly people in Finland

• The American magazine "Newsweek" named recently Finland as the best country in the world in case of welfare. It is a result of comparison of standards of living, social protection and support in different states.

    BUT

• Problem: Tension between high unemployment and early retirement and an increasing life-expectancy and low birth rates is a threat for social security systems as they increase expenditures and reduce tax revenues.

Old-age dependency ratio in Finland and the EU27 

Source: Eurostat, EUROPOP 2008

Finland is on the first place by aging population.

The guiding question  

• How Finland can resolve the population ageing problem when the number of old people who need benefits is bigger then young people who pay taxes?

History of the question

Debating: two main actors 
Agenda – retirement age  
 

• National Coalitional Party
• Provides interests mostly of employers
• Has an attempted to move the existing age of retirement from 63 to 66

• Left Union of Finland
• Provides interests of labor force
• Union leaders have firmly rejected idea of increasing retirement age
• Support  labor interests
• For improving conditions of  workers

References 
 

• Andrey Petrov. Finland beyond the planet // Nevskoe time. – 12.10.2010. // http://rus.ruvr.ru/2010/10/11/25335381.html
• Alexander Ykkonen. Work in Finland – new possibilities // http://www.datsha.com/rus/news.php?id=143
• Veli Laine, Mart Maiväli, European Commission. Finland: adjusting to an ageing population. Brussels. June 2010. //http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/country_focus/2010/cf-7-04_en.htm
• Ageing Studio Dossier. October 19th, 2010 //http://helsinkidesignlab.org/dossiers/ageing
• Government Meets Design // Helsinki design lab //http://www.hdl2010.org/event/
• OECD Public Governance Reviews: Finland 2010. Working Together to Sustain Success. 09 Sep 2010 //  http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/governance/oecd-public-governance-reviews-finland-2010_9789264086081-en

Conclusion 

   The ageing problem in Finland is more like a challenge for the country, because it gives the possibility for the government to try their selves in the development of a new policies that can really change the lives of the existing and the future generations.