Jaanus Riibe: Tallinn's ageing residents should not have to choose between loneliness and care homes

Tallinn City Council member Jaanus Riibe writes that Tallinn is ageing rapidly – according to the city's budget strategy, the share of residents aged 65 and over will grow from 19 to 23 per cent by 2050. Riibe believes that elderly people should not face just two choices: living alone at home or moving to a care facility.

Tallinn is facing a demographic shift that is no longer a distant future – it is a tangible reality today. The city's budget strategy for 2026–2030 clearly shows that the share of residents aged at least 65 will rise from the current 19 per cent to 23 per cent by 2050. This means that one in four Tallinners will be of retirement age in the future.

Tallinn City Council member Jaanus Riibe (Reform Party) raises the question of whether the current care system can meet this challenge. In his view, too many elderly people today face a choice that should not exist at all: continuing a solitary life at home without adequate support or moving to a care institution where independence is lost.

What does an ageing city need?

According to Riibe, Tallinn must already begin creating alternatives that lie between these two extremes. These could include community-based support services, improved access to home care workers, and resident-initiated community activities that reduce social isolation.

For city leaders, this means long-term planning: new residential models, accessible urban spaces, and better integration of health and social services. Tallinn is not alone in facing this challenge – all Estonian municipalities must find solutions in the coming decades to ensure that elderly people can live with dignity and independence.