Elderly Rights and Care Services Law: Legal Protection for Senior Citizens in Turkey

The increase in life expectancy and the particular preference for regions with favorable climates and high living standards—such as Alanya—during retirement years has made “elderly care” and “elderly rights” more important than ever before. Elderly care services encompass not only the fulfillment of health and housing needs but also the legal protection of individuals’ material and moral rights. This constitutes a multifaceted process.

From a law firm’s perspective, numerous matters—ranging from home care services to nursing home contracts, social security support (SGK – Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu) to inheritance law—are integral parts of elderly care.

The Importance of Legal Contracts in Elderly Care Services

Relationships established with private companies providing in-home elderly care, nursing homes, and care facilities constitute “service contracts.” It is vitally important that families pay attention to the following details when drawing up contracts with institutions to whom they entrust their elderly relatives:

• Scope and Limits of Services: The limits of medical intervention, protocols to be followed in emergency situations, and nutrition/hygiene standards must be explicitly stated in the contract.
• Liability and Compensation: The institution incurs legal and criminal liability if care personnel act negligently, carelessly, or with abuse. Contract terms that unlawfully limit patient rights are void.

When Mental Faculties Decline: Guardianship (Conservatorship)

One of the most frequently encountered legal proceedings during old age involves guardianship appointments (legal incapacity determination) filed before Civil Courts of Peace (Sulh Hukuk Mahkemeleri). When an elderly person becomes unable to manage their own affairs, handle their assets, or conduct legal transactions due to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or other severe signs of old age, a court appoints a guardian to protect their interests.

The guardian is obligated to protect the elderly person’s interests. All official procedures—such as obtaining incontinence reports from social security, withdrawing retirement pensions, buying/selling real estate, and conducting bank transactions—are carried out through the guardian under court supervision.

Lifelong Care Agreements

The Lifelong Care Agreement, regulated in the Turkish Law of Obligations (Türk Borçlar Kanunu), is a method frequently used by elderly individuals to secure their future. Under this agreement, the care recipient (the elderly person) commits to transferring part or all of their assets to the care provider (a person or institution), while the care provider commits to caring for and protecting the recipient until death.

For these contracts to be valid, they must be executed in formal manner—before a notary public or land registry officer (Noter veya Tapu Memuru). If the contract terms are not fulfilled or if care services are provided inadequately or poorly, legal remedies can be pursued to terminate the contract and recover the transferred assets.

Conclusion

Elderly care requires not only compassion and affection but also a solid legal foundation. In a region like Alanya, where many native and foreign elderly individuals reside, it is crucial that elderly rights are not violated, care contracts are properly structured, and administrative procedures such as guardianship appointments are conducted expeditiously. To avoid losing your rights when arranging care services for your elderly relatives or submitting applications for administrative support, it is essential to obtain expert legal assistance from the outset. This will strengthen your legal protection.

For a patient to receive incontinence pads through the Social Security Institution (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu), the report must be issued by a specialist physician or health board through the e-Report system.

Below, you will find a sample template of a standard Adult Incontinence Pad (Urinary/Fecal Incontinence) Health Report entered by physicians and the basic criteria sought by social security, provided for informational purposes.

📄 HEALTH REPORT SAMPLE (For Informational Purposes Only)

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY MINISTRY OF HEALTH

[Hospital Name]

Date: DD/MM/YYYY

Report No.: [System-Generated Number]

Report Date: DD/MM/YYYY

Report Validity Period: 2 Years (Or as deemed appropriate by the physician, maximum 2 years)

PATIENT INFORMATION

• Turkish ID Number: 12345678900
• Name and Surname: [Patient Name]
• Date of Birth: DD/MM/YYYY
• Institution: SGK (SSK / Bağ-Kur / Civil Service Pension Fund)

MEDICAL INFORMATION

• Diagnosis and ICD-10 Code:
  • N31.9 – Neuromuscular Disorder of Bladder
  • N39.4 – Specified Urinary Incontinence
  • R15 – Fecal Incontinence
  • (Additionally, the primary disease code causing this condition is added, for example: G30 Alzheimer’s Disease, I64 Stroke, G20 Parkinson’s Disease, etc.)
• Determination and Medical Justification: The patient has loss of bladder and bowel control due to existing neurological/urological condition (for example: Alzheimer’s disease / Prior Cerebrovascular Event). Urinary and fecal incontinence are present. Until the patient’s primary disease is treated or for life, the use of adult incontinence pads is medically necessary.
• Recommended Material and Usage Quantity:
  • Material Name: Adult Incontinence Pad
  • Daily Dosage: 4 (Four) Pieces per Day
  • Monthly Quantity: 120 (One Hundred Twenty) Pieces per Month

PHYSICIAN INFORMATION

[Physician Name and Surname]

[Medical Specialty] – [License/Registration Number]

Official Seal and Signature / (Electronically Signed)

💡 Important Considerations When Obtaining an SGK Incontinence Report

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