Using routine data, surveys, and data from a local area study, this article describes the long-term care sector in Norway. Some comparisons with Denmark and Sweden are also presented. Typical for the Scandinavian solution is tax-financed formal care, provided as a highly decentralized public service. In Norway, three stages of development have been identified since 1955: establishing a basic structure of long-term care (LTC) (1955–70), expansion (1970–80), and reorganization (1980–90). The current Norwegian system is characterized by well-staffed, small institutional units integrated with home care. The turn-over rate in nursing homes is high. Most admissions and live discharges constitute an interchange with the home-care system. Although Norway occupies an intermediate position between Denmark and Sweden, there is now a strong tendency of convergence among these three LTC systems.
