Negotiating care in the context of Finnish and Italian elder care policies

Negotiation is an integral part of all elder care, which by definition involves a relation between at least two people. In
this article, we analyse negotiations concerning elder care in the context of Finnish and Italian elder care policies. At
the macro level negotiations on elder care are shaped by elder care policies and at the micro level by individual skills and
resources. Our focus is on the negotiations on eligibility that take place when elders attempt to access care. The data consist
of qualitative interviews with Finnish and Italian elders in need of care. The analysis of individual experiences of care
negotiations reflects the practical consequences of elder care policies to older people. The results indicate that the most
negotiated eligibility criteria when seeking access to elder care are need, money and social relations. These criteria are
negotiated when seeking eligibility to different sources of care: informal care, grey market, market-based, non-profit and
public services. In Italy, negotiation is particularly crucial when accessing grey market care. Cash as the main Italian elder
care policy tool tends to enhance the role of and need for negotiation. In Finland, a greater part of elder care is provided
by the public sector and therefore the process of negotiation is more standardized than in Italy.