Southwest Finland Wellbeing Services County raises meal prices in disability housing without notice
The Southwest Finland Wellbeing Services County (Varha) has increased meal prices in some of its disability housing services without informing residents or their families in advance. The price adjustment took effect in April, leading to unexpected cost hikes for some individuals.
A parent told Turun Sanomat that the price of lunch in their son’s housing unit rose from €5.29 to €7. As a result, the son’s monthly food bill jumped from €391.64 in March to €554.85 in April—a 42 percent increase. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the change came as a surprise, as Varha had not communicated the adjustment beforehand.
Sari Hietala, Head of Disability Services at Varha, acknowledged the delay in notification, stating that communication did not occur as planned. She confirmed that notices were sent out only this week (Ilta-Sanomat). According to Hietala, the price increases were part of an effort to standardize meal agreements across housing units. While some units saw no change, others experienced rises of up to 40 percent, with an average increase of around 13 percent (Turun Sanomat, Iltalehti).
Concerns over food quality and service
The price hike follows earlier criticism of Varha’s food services. In June, Ilta-Sanomat reported that practical nurses working in the county’s housing units had raised concerns about the quality of meals served to elderly and disabled residents. The Union of Practical Nurses (Super) issued a statement warning that poor food quality could negatively impact residents’ wellbeing.
Nurses reported that the food often lacked appeal in both quality and appearance, discouraging consumption. Additionally, there were shortcomings in the implementation of special diets and the expertise required to manage them. The union also highlighted logistical issues stemming from a transition to centralized food distribution, which began a year ago.
Under the new system, meals are delivered to housing units twice a week, either frozen or chilled. Reheating the food has become an additional responsibility for practical nurses, increasing their workload (Ilta-Sanomat). The union expressed deep concern over the consequences of these changes for vulnerable residents.