Long-term care benefits and services in Norway

Abstract

In Norway, persons who require assistance with the activities of daily living receive comprehensive support from the communal health and care services, as well as monetary benefits from social insurance. The legislative bases regarding services provided by the communities were revised as of 1 January 2012 and laid down in the Act on Municipal Health Services (The Health Care Act) (HOL). The new set of regulations replaces the Social Services Act (STL) and the Municipal Health Services Act (HKL). The objective of this was to also legally merge these services of assistance and in-home care, since they are already frequently provided through one source. Benefits from social insurance (Folketrygden) are provided in accordance with the Norwegian National Insurance Act (Folketrygdloven–FTL). In this context, Norway generally focuses on local solutions to be designed individually by the communities. The purpose is particularly to provide ambulatory services and various forms of integrated care and assisted living in order to postpone admission to an inpatient facility or extended stays therein for as long as possible.