More housing for the elderly and disabled

In 1997, nearly 40,000 dwellings with nursing and social care services were registered in Norway's municipalities. This is an increase of just over 2,000 housing units since 1996. Of the registered dwellings around 5,300 are handicapped-accessible or specially adapted sheltered accommodation built with Housing Bank grants.

The number of registered housing units has increased from 28,700 in 1994 to nearly 40,000 in 1997. During the same period the number of residents rose from 30,300 to 38,100. The difference between the number of residents and the number of dwellings in 1997 is mainly because some municipalities have not given the number of residents.

Of the 38,100 people registered as residents of nursing and social care dwellings, 10,800 are under the age of 67. The majority of the residents in such accommodation are women, with the exception of the under-67 group, which is mostly made up of men.

Fewer institutions

At the end of 1997, Statistics Norway's register of institutions included 1,025 institutions, 10 less than in 1996. Somatic hospitals accounted for nearly 50% of all institutions at the end of last year. Beds in somatic hospitals made up nearly 60 per cent of all beds in institutions for the elderly and disabled. This is an increase from 1991, when they accounted for 43 per cent. In 1997, the institutions were registered as having more than 37,200 rooms. Of these, 83 per cent were single rooms, while 17 per cent were for two or more residents. Compared to 1996, there has been a 1.5 per cent increase in the percentage of single rooms.

Last year, 42,900 persons were registered as residents of an institution. Over 72 per cent were over 80 years of age and more than 89 per cent of the residents were long-term. The latter percentage has remained relatively stable in recent years.

New Statistics
Nursing and social care, 1997.
The statistics are published annually in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. For more information, contact: Asne.Vigran@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 44 86, or Bjorn.Gabrielsen@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 44 46.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 42, 1998