Finland

Suomen Geriatrit ry (SG ry)
Finnish Geriatricians

Some facts on demography and geriatrics in Finland…

Total population: 5.5 millions
Percentage above 65 Yr: 20%

Number of physicians:  28.565 (all) and 24.000 (in working age)
Number of geriatricians: 296
Total number of hospital beds: 25.000
Number of geriatric beds: not defined separately

Geriatrics is recognised as a...

• speciality since >20 years.
• subspeciality since >20 years (no longer).

Geriatric medicine is found in...

• acute care hospitals as acute geriatric wards
• out-patient care settings
• post-acute rehabilitation hospitals/clinics
• nursing homes or long term care facilities

Members of the society

Total number of Members: 360 (in the end of year 2019)

Other activities…

• Gerontology 2020 congress 25/27 Mar 2020 in Jyväskylä
• Young Geriatricians’ annual meeting 12/13 Nov 2020 in Tampere
• Finnish Geriatricians meetin in Kuopio Fer 12th .13th  2019

List of geriatric chairs and research centres in Finland

Univerities of

• Helsinki
• Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care
• Oulu
• Tampere

  • Gerontology research Center Gerec (Universities of Tampere and Jyväskylä)

• Turku
• Eastern Finland

Achievements of geriatric medicine in Finland

The Finnish Geriatricians is a nationwide association for geriatricians and physicians from other specialties with shared interests in geriatric medicine and health and functioning of older adults. The Finnish Geriatricians promote professional, scientific and practical development in the field as well as role and position of older adults in Finland. The society organizes annually a national conference and meeting for young geriatricians. Both events have become popular for sharing knowledge and meeting colleagues, friends and experts from the field of geriatric medicine, other specialties and interest groups.

Geriatrics is a popular specialty among young physicians in Finland. Although we have reached the estimated number of new specialists needed annually, the demand for geriatricians still exceeds the supply in the near future, especially in the Northern parts of the country.

We collaborate closely and actively with other gerontological societies in Finland, with the Nordic Gerontological Federation, the European Geriatric Medicine Society, and the European Union of Medical Specialists.