Nearly 50 elderly Finns living in a facility for the aged in the Swedish capital Stockholm were relieved to hear that on Wednesday the city had cancelled a plan to close down the Suomikoti ("Finnish home") where they were living. The proposal was to have taken effect from next week.
The lease for the Stockholm facility for Finnish senior citizens was to have run out at the end of this month, while new premises are not scheduled for completion until November.
The city had previously wanted the tenants to vacate the old building immediately, and to go to temporary quarters at the former Bromma Mental Hospital.
The decision would have meant that 49 residents aged 75 to 95 would have faced two moves within the space of a few months.
"I have re-examined the matter today and have noted that it would be unreasonable to force the elderly to move twice", said Stockholm Deputy Mayor Py Borjeson on Wednesday, speaking to Helsingin Sanomat.
The Suomikoti facility, which is maintained by a Finnish organisation, provides residential care, which it sells to the City of Stockholm.
The present building close to the Sabbatsberg Hospital will eventually be torn down to make room for housing. Wednesday's decision may delay the construction project.
