A1 Journal article (refereed)
Financialization of Eldercare in a Nordic Welfare State (2024)

Hoppania, H.-K., Karsio, O., Näre, L., Vaittinen, T., & Zechner, M. (2024). Financialization of Eldercare in a Nordic Welfare State. Journal of Social Policy, 53(1), 26-44. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279422000137

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Hoppania, Hanna-Kaisa; Karsio, Olli; Näre, Lena; Vaittinen, Tiina; Zechner, Minna

Journal or series: Journal of Social Policy

ISSN: 0047-2794

eISSN: 1469-7823

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 29/03/2022

Volume: 53

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 26-44

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279422000137

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/81593

Abstract

The increasing presence of for-profit service providers in publicly-funded eldercare has transformed care in Nordic welfare states which have a strong tradition of public care provision. Macro-level research on care policies has mainly focused on public institutions, national policies, and marketization. The financialization of eldercare has not received much scholarly attention, and existing studies mostly focus on the UK. The financialization of eldercare refers to the ways in which care is both a site of profit extraction and financial engineering. The Nordic system is relatively universal, and, with rapidly ageing demographics, there is a secured demand for eldercare services. However, these services have been heavily marketized over the past two decades, opening up lucrative possibilities for financialized actors who have established a stronghold over the markets. We analyse these processes through selected empirical examples from Finland, and argue that the financialization of eldercare in the Nordic context demands attention as we are witnessing a new configuration between the constitutional order of the welfare state, public finances, and private profit which is neither transparent, nor democratic.

Keywords: public services; care services; care for the elderly; privatisation (economics); market economy; social policy; welfare state

Free keywords: financialization; eldercare; Nordic welfare state; financialization of care; marketization of care

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2022

JUFO rating: 3