The Elderly Citizens Council is a body that influences the planning, preparation and monitoring of the city’s activities in matters that are relevant to the wellbeing, health, inclusion, living environment, housing and mobility of the elderly, or the performance of their daily activities and the services they need.
The Helsinki Elderly Citizens Council consists of representatives of organisations for the elderly, permanent specialists of the city and elected political officials. The City Board appointed the current Elderly Citizens Council in 18 August 2025. The council’s term of office is two years.
Appointment decision – City Board 2025(Link leads to external service) (in Finnish)
Tasks of the Elderly Citizens Council
The role of the Elderly Citizens Council is to ensure equal opportunities for older citizens to participate and contribute.
The Elderly Citizens Council:
- ensures that services in Helsinki are developed with regard to their adequacy and suitability for older people
- monitors that services in Helsinki take into account availability and accessibility
- highlights the perspective of the older population
- drafts proposals, statements and opinions to other actors in the City
- contributes to the development of the statutory Helsinki Welfare Plan to support the elderly population
- promotes cooperation between the City of Helsinki and organisations working with older people
- promotes communications concerning services and opportunities for participation.
Members of the Elderly Citizens Council for the 2025–2027 term
| Member | Deputy Member | |
| Alzheimer’s Association of Helsinki | Maarit Turu-Gromoff(Link opens default mail program) | Iiris Pilke |
| Eläkeläisten Helsingin Aluejärjestö ry | Iiris Karppinen | Kalevi Hölttä |
| Helsingin Kansallinen Senioripiiri ry | Pirjo-Liisa Kangasniemi(Link opens default mail program) | Olavi Nieminen |
| Jade-yhteisö ry | Susanna Lehtovaara(Link opens default mail program) | Eva Rönkkö |
| Lutheran Church in Helsinki | Paula Närhi(Link opens default mail program) | Pirkko Linder |
| Rainbow Seniors | Kuisma Savisalo | Jussi Nissinen |
| Samrådet i SPF Helsingfors rf | Erik Wallin(Link opens default mail program) | Helena Lindström |
| The Association of Carers in Helsinki and Vantaa | Marja Ruotsalainen(Link opens default mail program) | Tuulikki Hakala |
| The Helsinki branch of the Central Association of Finnish Pensioners |
Lahja ”Lala” Sjöblom(Link opens default mail program) 1. vice chairperson |
Marjatta Andersson |
| Member | Deputy Member | |
| National Coalition Party |
Matias Nieminen(Link opens default mail program) , 2. vice chairperson |
Leena Mutanen |
| Social Democratic Party of Finland |
Riikka Dahlman(Link opens default mail program) , chairperson |
Erkki Helo |
| Social Democratic Party of Finland | Janne Pulkkinen(Link opens default mail program) | Anita Vihervaara |
| The Greens | Auni-Marja Vilavaara(Link opens default mail program) | Hannu Tuominen |
| Left Alliance | Nina Laine(Link opens default mail program) | Seppo Koskinen |
| Member | Deputy Member | |
| City Executive Office |
Hanna Ahlgren-Leinvuo(Link opens default mail program) Special researcher |
Mauno Rönkkö Special planner |
| Culture and Leisure Division |
Jenni Räsänen(Link opens default mail program) Development planner |
Minna Ekman, Special advisor |
| Education Division |
Emmi Komlosi(Link opens default mail program) Education manager |
Pia Nybom Deputy principal |
| Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division |
Pia Nurme(Link opens default mail program) Director of Hospital, Rehabilitation and Care Services |
Soili Partanen Director of assessment operations |
| Urban Environment Division |
Elli Peltola(Link opens default mail program) Head of unit |
Sini Tiainen Project director |
Meetings of the Elderly Citizens Council
The autumn 2026 meetings of the Elderly Citizens Council are 9.9., 5.10., 11.11. and 9.12.2026.
Memoranda for meetings of the Elderly Citizens Council starting from 2021 are available below (in Finnish).
80 documents
Statements and opinions of the Elderly Citizens Council
Proposals, statements and opinions of the Elderly Citizens Council starting from 2023 are available below (in Finnish).
95 documents
Annual reports of the Elderly Citizens Council
Annual reports of the Elderly Citizens Council are available below (only in Finnish).
Vanhusneuvoston raportti toimikaudelta 2023-2025(pdf)
Vanhusneuvoston toimintakertomus 2024 (pdf)
Vanhusneuvosto toimintakertomus 2023 (pdf)
Vanhusneuvoston raportti toimintakaudelta 2021-2023 (pdf)
Toimintakertomus 2022 (pdf)
Toimintakertomus 2021 (pdf)
Toimintakertomus 2017-2021 (pdf)