Today, people in general live longer than before. They are also more active and healthier than ever. To support increased quality of life and functionality of older people, information about anything related to the third life cycle, such as health promotion, rights and services, are available here.
At the turning point of a new era of life, it is good to prepare well for what is to come. Some are anxious to retire, while others celebrate it. A good idea is to start early, make this a good transition and consider how to spend your time best.
The project Good to grow older aims to ensure that older people receive appropriate care at the right service level and increase the number of those who participate in the community. It is worth looking at services for the elderly and rights of older people at the Icelandic Human Rights Centre.
Health promotion for the elderly
People older than 65 are a diverse group both in terms of age and health.
You must pay close attention to your health throughout your life and prepare well for your senior year.
Preventive measures such as health promotion all through life are important to reduce the need for health care later in life.
Many local authorities have now begun to provide grants for the health promotion of older people. They are then comparable to leisure grants for children and teenagers.Here you can see a list of the communities that provide grants for older people.
Electronic authorization in Heilsuvera, for the delivery of medicines in a pharmacy. You can have electronic authorities to your relatives or other to pick up medicine for you. An authorization is registered in Heilsuvera (in icelandic) under the section of medicine. Once it has been registered in Heilsuvera, it is valid in all pharmacies in the country.
Regular physical activity has a multi-faceted value for health and wellbeing at all stages of life. It supports the pursuit of other healthy lifestyles and combats and improves various diseases and health conditions.
Research confirms importance of physical activity for older people
Better brain health
Less likely to fall
Generally increased ability to perform daily tasks
In addition to promoting better mental and physical health, exercise promotes social interaction and activity in general
Municipalities have worked for the past decades to improve facilities for diverse physical activity, both indoors and outdoors. These include indoor facilities for gyms, outdoor exercise equipment, heated walkways and classes to rest on at regular intervals.
Exercising at least three times a week must be such that the pulse rises, you get up and sweat a bit. The benefits are unquestionable.
In most municipalities, exercise of various kinds is available to older people. Bjartur lífstíll (in Icelandic) one can find an overview by zip codes of what is available.
Research shows that physical, cognitive, and social activity are important to all and play a big role in slowing down diseases like dementia. Examples of everyday cognitive functioning are:
Learn something new, like language or an instrument
Various puzzles that can be reached in various apps. For example, experts recommend the app Lumosity https://www.lumosity.com/en/ for which you can buy a subscription. The advantage of it is that the level of difficulty changes depending on the ability of the person using it.
Jigsaws
Many people tend to stop meeting other people when they retire.
It is important to continue or start participating in some kind of club or social activity.
If individuals withdraw from such work they are in danger of becoming isolated and their health deteriorates.
Much and powerful social work is carried out in many parts of the country, either by village associations or associations of senior citizens.
Far too many people are anxious about quitting their paid jobs and do „nothing“. It is essential to prepare well for this period of life and envision how the days will be spent. Life it self needs to be reorganized as well as finances.
Many people are surprised when the step has been taken how quickly the days pass. For those who lack ideas, you can find 120 ideas about what to do when you have enough time and are in good health.
There is, for example, a list of many projects that can be done as a volunteer, which many people find very rewarding.
It is well worth stopping and thinking about the proposals that are presented there.
Retirement and pensions for older people
Retirement or pension of older people consists of pension funds, social insurance pension, supplementary pension savings and other savings. Retirement is paid for the remainder of his or her life.
Payments from a pension fund can reduce the payment of old-age pensions, it is therefore important that applicants for old-age pensions seek advice from the Social Insurance Administration.
With age, many people's ability to manage their own finances decreases. Then it is good to have taken measures in time, such as giving a mandate to take care of certain issues.
It is common for the person in question to be granted access to their home bank and power of attorney for accounts. It is important that there is an agreement in the family about who takes care of the finances and that the person in charge keeps the accounts. When there is no agreement, there is a possibility that a neutral party will intervene and sometimes it is necessary to request a deprivation of financial resources from the magistrate.
Municipalities are obliged by law to ensure access to appropriate social and leisure activities. In this connection, special emphasis should be placed on education and training on the rights of the elderly and on adapting to the changing circumstances that come with the cessation of participation in the labour market and the maintenance of social activities.
Housing for the elderly
Older people need to be able to acquire or rent a place as required at any given time. Different types of residential care are available, but residents are all entitled to home care and home support or municipal support services regardless of their residence status.
Serviced and other residential apartments for older people are either self-owned, rented or residence rights apartments.
Living at home with support - physical therapy at home
Older people are enabled to live a normal home life as long as possible by receiving home care that meets people in their everyday lives.
The state and municipalities are responsible for public services for older people, health services for which the state is responsible and social services which are the responsibility of municipalities.
The local associations in the capital area now offer rehabilitation at home. More municipalities are preparing to provide this service.
You can apply for home physical therapy (only in Icelandic). It is intended for people who cannot go home due to their health. A request must be received from a doctor.
Home care services are divided into home support or support services (formerly known as social services) and home care services. It is called integrated home care when these services are operated by the same provider. Tele-services are a growing part of home care services and contribute to diversity, for example, with screen-visits.
Home support
The aim of home support is to provide those who require assistance with daily activities. The service can be temporary or long-term, depending on circumstances. It is provided as a day, evening or weekend service.
The services include, for example:
Support for activities of daily life
Support for the home
Social support
Meals delivered to the home for those who cannot take care of cooking themselves
If a person needs home support you must apply to the municipality you live in. Fee for home support depends on the tariff of each municipality.
Residential care is intended for those who live at home and require regular health care, for example due to diseases or the consequences of illness and accidents.
Home nursing services are free of charge and include
General care and monitoring of mental and physical health
Medication administration
Dressing changes
Contact the local health centre to assess the need for home care and/or home rehabilitation.
Assistance may be needed to restore and maintain function, health and quality of life.
Rehabilitation at home is for people who have applied for home support, support services or home care and it is believed that rehabilitation is likely to be successful.
Home rehabilitation is offered in several locations, including the capital area and Árborg.
More municipalities are preparing to provide this service.
Older people are encouraged to take advantage of hot meals: that are sold at a reasonable price at the nearest community centre.
Many municipalities offer meals delivered at home for older people. You must apply for them by contacting your local municipality.
Renewal of driver's licenses for 65 years and older
P-card, parking card for persons with reduced mobility
Elderly people may be entitled to a parking card (P mark) for the disabled to park in a specially marked parking space (P mark). They are mostly at the places where people get services, such as public institutions and shops.
Driving assistance
Those who cannot longer drive their own car are encouraged to use public transport. Seniors get a 50% discount on fares. In situations where the person cannot use the bus, a subsidized driving service is available.
It is worth drawing attention to the fact that the cost of owning and operating a small, lightly driven car for one year is close to two million krona per year according to information from the Icelandic Automobile Owners Association. For the same amount of money, you can make many trips with the driving service provided by you community.
You need to apply for driving services from the relevant municipality.
Icelandic Health contributes to the cost of assistive devices covered by the Regulation on subsidies for assistive devices.
Assistive devices are intended to:
enable users to cope with the activities of daily life
increase self-sufficiency and security
be used for longer than three months
in certain cases, training and treatment
Iceland Health groups assistive devices in the following categories:
Prosthetic and therapeutic devices
Prosthetic and therapeutic devices include: orthopedic shoes and insoles, artificial limbs and other artificial parts, braces, compression stockings and compression devices and breathing aids and oxygen. A healthcare worker must apply for a grant for the purchase of support and treatment aids.
Technical devices
There are a variety of technical devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers, security call systems, aids in cars, various aids for bathing and going to the toilet, such as flush seats or flushing and drying equipment, support equipment of various kinds, door openers, ramps, air lift systems, communication and environmental management equipment and more. A healthcare worker must apply for a grant to purchase a technical aid.
Disposable aids
Disposable aids include: diapers, protective gloves, diabetes aids, ostomy aids and urinary catheters and urine bags. A healthcare worker must apply for a grant for the purchase of disposable aids.
Hearing aids
Iceland Health may subsidize in getting hearing aids if pensioner meet the relevant requirements.
Nutrition and special diets
Health insurance subsidizes vital nutrients and special diets and in the case of long-term need. A healthcare worker applies for a grant to buy nutrition and special food.
It is important for older people to take care of their safety. Safety in that sense includes making your home less dangerous.
• Mats sometimes need to be removed as they may cause falls. It is often sufficient to put adhesive tapes underneath them to prevent them from slipping.
• Spam hob. There are many hazards in homes, especially for those who are beginning to lose skills. It is recommended that spam hobs turn off themselves if they are forgotten or if you remove a pot from the stove without switching off.
• Attention should be paid to lighting when your vision dims.
• Handrails and support rods may need to be installed in showers or near beds.
To reduce the risk of accidents for older people, the National Association of Elderly People, Landsbjörg and the Safety Academy have published a brochure (in Icelandic) on Safe Senior Years and where and how to prevent accidents in older people.
Safety buttons are important aids when your health deteriorates. Icelandic Health subsidizes buttons from major vendors. Some also perceive when a user falls and sends out a signal.
Violence
Violence should never be tolerated. The situation can often be vulnerable, especially for older people who have lived together for a long time. If you worry about a friend you can find instructions on Heilsuvera. (in Icelandic)
Special attention is given to any kind of violence against people on the website of the Emergency Line 112.is Abuse in close relationships, where you can find definitions of various forms of violence. On the site you can also access live chat with service providers if you suspect that someone is being violent.
Daycare for the elderly
Elderly people who live at home but require regular care and assistance, can apply to join a daycare. They are operated in most bigger communities. It is possible to visit from one day a week or more.
Applications must be made on forms obtained from the relevant local authority. Application processes may vary, but information can be obtained from welfare or social services, day-care centres or others who provide these services. More on day care centres.
Health care services
With increased age the likelihood of disease and infirmity increases. In health care centres and other healthcare institutions in Iceland, there are teams that work to support and guide older people, help them to identify risk factors and provide guidance on available resources.
It is important to familiarise yourself with the available resources. First stop is always your healthcare.
The health center is usually the first stop for anyone who needs help with health issues.
Health centers offer a health-promoting reception for older people, where advice and assistance are provided to deal with the health challenges of senior years.
HÖR (health care or home care geriatric consultants) work in health centers and home care areas in many municipalities. They have acquired additional knowledge, in geriatric nursing, aging transitions, frail older people and more, as well as knowledge of specific treatment for frail older people and resources to maintain well-being and independence.
Residential care is intended for those who live at home and require regular health care, for example due to diseases or the consequences of illness and accidents.
Home nursing services are free of charge and include
General care and monitoring of mental and physical health
Medication administration
Dressing changes
Contact the local health centre to assess the need for home care and/or home rehabilitation.
At Heilsuvera (in Icelandi), you find educational materials on disease, prevention and health promotion.
There you can log on to My pages where you can book appointments, renew prescriptions and communicate securely with healthcare professionals.
It also allows you to view your healthcare and healthcare contact history.
Inquiries and appointments may also be submitted through Healthcare. A telephone consultation is available at 513-1700 or via email at Heilsuvera.is (in Icelandic).
Assistance may be needed to restore and maintain function, health and quality of life.
Rehabilitation at home is for people who have applied for home support, support services or home care and it is believed that rehabilitation is likely to be successful.
Home rehabilitation is offered in several locations, including the capital area and Árborg.
More municipalities are preparing to provide this service.
The purpose of emergency services is to prevent older people from being admitted to the emergency departments and hospitals due to illnesses that can be treated at home. The service is temporary and lasts for as long as an acute illness lasts.
Emergency services to older people are of two types today, there is Heimaspítali, which is still only served by the Healthcare Institution of South Iceland and SELMA, which is the project of the City of Reykjavík.
Hospital at home
Hospital at home is a service for older people where doctor and nurse visit their patients with supportive care at home. This is a new service for older people operated by the Healthcare Institution of South Iceland.
SELMA
SELMA is a team of nurses and doctors with the goal of enhancing healthcare services for people who use home care and suffer from sudden illness or deterioration in their health. The team is an advisory backcountry for home care staff. The services are visits and telephone consultations.
The team leader of the home healthcare clinic or the general practitioner may request a visit from SELMU if this is considered necessary.
Rehabilitation admissions aim at restoring mental, physical and social skills. It is provided after illness or accidents, or to maintain the skills and prevent further impairments.
Rehabilitation is based on active participation of the patient and interdisciplinary collaboration between professionals. Rehabilitation admissions of older people are mainly in nursing homes, a rehabilitation institution or other health institution.
Here are a few examples of institutions with rehabilitation admissions
Eir rehabilitation
Heilsustofnun - Rehabilitation and health Clinic
Kristnes – Akureyri
Resting admissions are temporary stays in nursing facilities. The stay can last from a few days up to eight weeks.
In most places, it is a specific nursing home that receives individuals for respite care. The goal of the care is to enable people to continue living in their own home with temporary resting admissions.
Rest may also be provided when a close relative who has supported the person in question needs rest or is away. Service providers need to ensure individuals get enough activity that promotes continued skills.
It is not necessary to have an approved skills and health assessment to be admitted to a rest hospital.
It can come to a point where people need more assistance than can be provided in their homes. All other measures must be fully tried before a request for a stay at a nursing home.
After the application for skills and health assessment is submitted to the skills and health assessment committee, the application is considered at a meeting of the committee.
Nursing homes provide day-around nursing services. Medical services, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are also offered. Information on the activities of nursing homes is provided the homes themselves. More on nursing homes.
As we grow older, it is normal to notice various changes in health, and the risk of diseases increases. Examples of such are vision and hearing. People may also notice memory problems that can start at this age. The interaction of age-related changes, disease, and drug use can result in reduced skills. It is important to react to all changes and seek help.
At Heilsuveru there is comprehensive and useful information suitable for everyone over 60 years of age.
It is a good idea to ensure that a family member is listed as a family member/contact person in the older person's medical record.
Carers
Being a relative or a friend of older people can be complicated.
Family members often report feeling a lot of stress in their care role. It can be challenging to care for a person who is struggling with dementia, especially in the later stages of the disease. Too much stress increases the risk of health problems for both the family members and the deceased.
As a family member, you have to think about many things and often it’s overwhelming to remember everything you have to do.
Family members should write down the main things to do. Remember that in case of illness, the plan can change according to the condition of the sick person so the plan must be reviewed regularly.
It is good to inform other family members about what needs to be done and even give them a role that they can perform. Such division of tasks relieves the burden.
Don’t forget the pets, but you have to decide who will take care of them if, for example, the owners have to move.
Find out more about the resources available, whether they are home assistance or moving to a service apartment.
Talk to your loved one about their will and wishes as early as possible. This is necessary before, for example, dementia conditions prevent them from being able to make their own decisions. Don't avoid this step; it is difficult but necessary.
How do they want to be remembered?
Is the life story (only in Icelandic) available in an accessible place?
If it is a life-threatening illness, what kind of health care does he want?
Talk about end-of-life treatment and proceed according to the patient's wishes.
Ask, what does your loved one fear the most as they get older?
It is appropriate to ask promptly whether the elderly want financial assistance.
If you request assistance, you can prepare a power of attorney that gives you the right to manage daily financial affairs and communication with Icelandic Health, to name a few. It is helpful that close relatives other than the person who receives the mandate, sign as a certificate to ensure that everyone knows what the situation is.
On My pages on island.is you can authorize various actions worth checking out.
The person who receives the mandate should print a regular statement from a local bank for other close relatives.
Familiarize yourself with retirement and pension matters to ensure that the income is sufficient for any purchased assistance.
Learn more about the benefits offered to older people, for example, in terms of health care, dental care, and subsidies from the Icelandic Health Insurance.
In the case of a family structure (e.g. another marriage), the process can become more complicated. Conflicts can arise, usually over financial matters, and it is good to have taken steps early, such as permission to sit in an undivided estate and make a will.
You should familiarize yourself with the health status of your loved one so that the right care can be provided.
Get permission to speak to a general practitioner and go through the authorizations, for example at Heilsuvera, regarding permission to collect medicine.
Accompany loved ones to medical appointments and make sure the correct diagnosis is delivered. Ask for the written results of the inspection and investigations.
Monitor medication if possible. Home delivery of medication dispensers is available in some health districts.
Older people are more prone to various accidents such as falling or getting lost if the person has a mild cognitive impairment.
Try to foresee the main dangers. You can reduce the risk of falls by, for example, removing rugs from the floor or decorative items on the floor.
Get a geriatric counselor to come and assess the situation at home.
Invest in a security button and perhaps cameras that signal if, for example, a loved one tends to wander away. A wide selection of such is available from security companies.
It is important for everyone in the role of carer to their relatives to seek support and advice. Most healthcare centers have geriatric counselors. It is good to find a relative or friend who is willing to listen and provide support. Many patient associations also provide counseling services.
Alzheimer Iceland counsels individuals with dementia and their families. You can call the consultant phone at 520 1088 or send an e-mail to radgjafi@alzheimer.is and make an appointment, either on-site or as a screening visit.
When all goes wrong, remedies such as deprivation of autonomy, financial resources, or even custody may have to be resorted to. Most people do not consider these procedures good, but it should be noted that most of the time they can be performed without the sick person knowing it.
These actions have to go through the courts but are free of charge to the affected families where legal action is involved.
When it comes to driving licenses not being renewed or a new identity card is needed, you can now apply for an ID card. There are two kinds. On the one hand, a traditional identity card, and on the other hand an ID card that is valid as a travel document for Icelandic citizens within the European Economic Area (EEA).
Thinking about the end of your life is distant to many, and even something that can evoke unpleasant feelings. Although the end of life is not considered imminent, it may be important to take time to reflect on it.
There are many ways to ease yourself in with various tasks of daily life. Technology is rapidly evolving and it is important that those who are older make an effort to keep an eye on it.
