More influence for the elderly when Stockholm reforms domestic care services

Quality of Life

Home care: making the system more responsive to patients’ needs

In 2015 the city of Stockholm initiated a major enquiry into the home care services. The aim was to improve continuity in staff and to give the elderly more influence over how these services are provided. The services offer elderly people who live at home, but need some assistance, regular visits from care providers who help with everyday things such as medication, cleaning or cooking. By replacing the much criticised “minute control” with “frame time”, patients now have more freedom to decide about their everyday life. Frame time means that the caseworker decides how many hours the patient needs per week or month, after which both create a plan together for how the actual services will be provided. Companies offering such services now also must provide dressing rooms and clothes for their staff, whose working conditions must be in line with the relevant collective bargaining agreement. By making sure the staff have good working conditions, the quality of the service for the elderly will also be better.