The Nordic Way: Care Brought to the Door
They had spent a winter reading about the Nordic countries, where many people say older people are looked after well.
Picture a couple named Otto, 71, and Greta, 69. They had spent a winter reading about the Nordic countries, where many people say older people are looked after well. Greta printed the numbers. Otto read them aloud at breakfast.
"Fewer people live in care homes there than ten years ago," Otto said.
"Is that because more of them get help at home?" Greta asked.
Otto looked at the page again. "It gives the numbers. It does not say why."
Here is what the numbers say.
| Country | Who is counted | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | People 80 and older who receive home care | About 20% (2015) | 16% (2025) |
| Sweden | People 80 and older in special housing | Just under 13% (2015) | About 9% (2025) |
| Denmark | Care-home places for every 80-and-older resident | 20% (2012) | 13% (2025) |
| Norway | People 90 and older in long-term institutions | 29% (2009) | 19% (2025) |
| Norway | People 80 to 89 in long-term institutions | 9% (2009) | 5% (2025) |
The Swedish figures come from the national board of health and welfare (Socialstyrelsen), published 30 March 2026. The Norwegian figures come from Statistics Norway. The Danish figure comes from an older people's advocacy group, Ældre Sagen, so we call it reported.
In Sweden both lines went down. Home care fell as well as special housing. The board's release describes older people receiving care later. The median age at moving into special housing is just over 86, and the median stay is 27 months. Among those who did move in, the share who had home care first rose from 70% to 79%.
In Denmark the municipalities are responsible for elder care. A person may choose between at least two providers, and home care is free. In a care home, nursing is free, and the resident pays for housing, food and private costs. Danish statistics for 2024 show that the number of people 65 and older receiving practical help at home fell by about 3,000, while the number of people 65 and older rose by about 18,000.
"So in Sweden fewer people get a bed, and fewer get home care," Greta said. "I would like to know where the rest are."
The sources do not give that answer. They show who receives which service. They do not show whether the help was enough, or whether a family stepped in. Whether a foreign retiree has the same access as a citizen is not in them either. Residence rules in each country could decide it.
You could…
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Read the Danish or Swedish municipal pages for the town you are curious about, and see what home care they describe.
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Ask what a foreign resident would be offered, and from what year of residence.
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Write down what would have to change in your own home for care to happen there.
What did care look like for someone you know in a Nordic country? Share it here. Someone reading may be weighing a move north.
Figures are estimates for planning, based on public data. Sources: Socialstyrelsen (30 March 2026); Statistics Norway (SSB), nursing homes and home services; Ældre Sagen (10 April 2025, care-home places); Statistics Denmark via Ældre Sagen (17 June 2025); Healthcare Denmark.
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