Drug Patients Take Hospital Beds from the Elderly

The number of patients receiving treatment for drug abuse in health centres and hospitals has increased in recent years. The rising demand for beds has meant that senior citizens have not had access to the care they need.

According to a report in the Keskisuomalainen newspaper, figures recently released by Centre for Research and Development of Welfare and Health, STAKES, indicate that in 2006 health centres and hospitals treated more than 21,000 Finns for drug abuse. The majority of patients admitted for such treatment were in the 21 - 64 year old age group.

At the same time increasing numbers of senior citizens seeking treatment at hospitals and health centres have had to queue for beds. At the state level, rehabilitating patients have also commanded most of the beds available since the year 2004.

However, the situation is variable across larger cities. In many cities, the demand for places for drug rehabilitation has been declining. Exceptions to this trend include Kuopio and Jyväskylä, where the demand has been growing. In Espoo the number of beds devoted for drug rehabilitation has also been on the increase.