The research study explores a large knowledge gap within Swedish elderly care – namely the challenges of within home care services at night. Despite that home care services is the most common support given to the elderly in Sweden. The few National and International studies that exist on night-time care, have focused on residential care facilities for the elderly. Therefore, focus here is on night-time care in their own homes, given by the night patrol – which we know very little about.

In the last decades, organizational transformation has taken place within elderly care towards increased rationalization and marketization. Along with demographical changes, this raises questions of dignified care, equal social rights and access to care. As the elderly are living longer and living in their own homes with severe disability and vulnerability, the pressure on home care services will increase – including at night. Dignity in care has been legislated in the Swedish Social Services Act, but is vaguely implemented, specifically at night.

Discussed are results of an interview survey with managers responsible for night-time home care services in 50 Swedish municipalities. How night-time care is organized varies depending on local governance, location and size of municipalities. This indicates challenges for equal access to care, depending on where you live. Care workers experience time pressure at night with many fragile elderly in need of care. How efforts to secure dignity and safety for older people varies over night is therefore important to reveal, not the least from a social equality perspective.