ABSTRACT
Norway is internationally known for providing one of the world's most universal and comprehensive long-term care services. This chapter focuses on older people and their main services. It provides a historical sociological analysis inspired by Abrams P. of the development of today's Norwegian long-term care services, tracing it back to its roots in the nineteenth century. The chapter utilizes welfare statistics showing development trends over time, based on national statistics and to some extent also white papers, being aware of their political strategical functions rather than mirroring the status of welfare services. In a white paper, the post-war development of long-term care services is divided into three phases: one from 1965 to 1980 called 'the public revolution', the next from 1980 to 1995 called 'consolidation and reorganization', and a final one from 1995 to 2010 called 'innovation and effectivization'. Public home help services for older people started in the 1960s, including first a few municipalities, later expanding to increasing numbers.
