Vårdbarhet

Vårdbarhet is a Swedish term used in social care and health planning to describe the degree to which a person or a particular situation is suitable for or requires formal care and support. The concept encompasses medical, functional, cognitive and social factors, as well as the environmental conditions that influence care needs and the patient’s ability to participate in care planning.

In practice, assessments of vårdbarhet guide decisions about appropriate care levels and services. They help determine whether someone should receive home-based support, day activities, intermediate care, or placement in a residential or special housing setting. Care planning often relies on standardized measures of functional status, activities of daily living (ADLs), cognition, and social support, though criteria can vary between municipalities and regions.

Vårdbarhet is intended to support person-centered planning and efficient resource use, aligning care provision with individual needs while promoting independence whenever possible. However, challenges include potential subjectivity in assessments, variation across jurisdictions, and the risk of stigmatizing individuals as having low care suitability. Transparent, standardized processes and ongoing reassessment are commonly emphasized to mitigate these concerns.

Related concepts include vårdbehov (care needs), hemtjänst (home care), särskilt boende (special housing), and rehabilitation and care planning. The term is primarily used within Swedish public care policy and may be translated loosely as “care suitability” or “care eligibility” in international contexts.