Police in Southwest Finland have launched a formal investigation into the death of an elderly woman at a private care home in Turku. The victim, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, reportedly strangled after being restrained with belts at the Esperi Care facility in Runosmäki.
The incident occurred on December 7, 2025, at the Otso care home, reports Turun Sanomat. The woman’s family initially believed she died of natural causes before police informed them of the physical circumstances.
Tuulikki Kanninen, the victim’s sister-in-law, told Finnish-language media that the family was shocked by the details. She described her relative as a social and physically active person who liked to interact with other residents.
Police investigators suspect that the woman attempted to free herself from the chair and became trapped by the restraints. They are currently looking into whether the use of such belts constituted a criminal act by the staff.
Esperi Care has confirmed the death and is conducting an internal investigation. However, the company has declined to provide specific details while the police probe remains active, reports YLE.
The Crisis in Finnish Elderly Care
Finland is currently struggling with one of the fastest-aging populations in the European Union. This demographic shift has placed immense pressure on the national healthcare system, leading to a chronic shortage of qualified nursing staff across the country.
To manage this, Finland introduced strict staffing mandates, currently requiring a minimum ratio of 0.65 care workers per resident.
However, many private and public facilities struggle to meet these targets, which experts say can lead to the improper use of physical restraints as a substitute for active supervision.
The use of physical restraints in Finland is strictly regulated under the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients. Such measures are only legal as a last resort in emergency situations to prevent immediate danger, and they must be documented and reported to the family.
