Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn

What Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn does

Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn is a Swiss cantonal non-profit foundation (Stiftung) headquartered in Solothurn, Switzerland, founded in 1919 to protect elderly people from poverty. Operating under the national umbrella of Pro Senectute Schweiz, the organization delivers free social counseling, financial advice, legal and pension guidance, dementia support, and care-related services to persons of AHV retirement age and their families across the Canton of Solothurn through four regional Fachstellen (specialist offices) in Solothurn, Grenchen, Olten, and Breitenbach/Dorneck-Thierstein, plus advisory windows in Bättwil and Dornach. In 2024, the organization delivered 10,068 hours of counseling (a 5% year-over-year increase) to 2,887 individuals, with 73% of counseling sessions covering financial topics.

Beyond counseling, the organization operates a portfolio of complementary programs: the Aktiv Haushilfedienst (active household help for independent living), Administrative Hilfen (assistance with payments, insurance, taxes), Bewegungspatenschaft (volunteer movement coaching for seniors), Fahrdienst Thierstein (volunteer transportation), a digital literacy program ('Online im Alltag', Digital Coach), and an extensive leisure and course program spanning sports, language, social events, and cultural activities. The Docupass personal pre-planning dossier (patient directive, power of attorney, will templates; CHF 19) and various guidebooks are sold via an online shop.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid non-profit model: federal subsidies from the Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen (BSV) under Article 101bis AHVG, ZEWO-certified individual donations and legacies processed via RaiseNow AG, course and product fees, municipal contributions, and corporate partnerships (notably SBB for digital literacy courses and innocent smoothies for the 'Das Grosse Stricken' co-marketing campaign). Governance is provided by a Foundation Council (Stiftungsrat) of cantonal political figures and community leaders. The organization's regulatory position as the nationally recognized specialist for elderly services since 1919, combined with BSV subsidies and ZEWO certification, forms the core of its operating model.

Name

Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn

Legal name

Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn - Für das Alter

Website

https://so.prosenectute.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn is a Swiss non-profit foundation founded in 1919 that delivers free social counseling, financial advice, care support, household help, and leisure programs to elderly residents across the Canton of Solothurn through four regional offices, funded by federal BSV subsidies, donations, and course fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Companion Care & Social Support (non-clinical) (HLADAGAB)

Keywords

• Senior social services
• Elderly care support
• Social counseling
• Household assistance
• Senior financial advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Solothurn

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Social Counseling Subsidies: Social counseling services are partially subsidized by the Federal Office for Social Insurance (BSV) under Article 101bis AHVG and the contract for the provision of financial aid (VAF). This is the core funded service.
2. Course and Activity Fees: Revenue from sports, movement, and education courses. Some courses are subsidized by BSV because they particularly promote self-determination and autonomy of elderly people. Other courses supported by SBB and municipalities.
3. Donations and Legacies: Charitable donations from individuals, processed through RaiseNow AG payment technology. Legacies (Legate) as bequests from deceased supporters. ZEWO certified organization.
4. Web Shop Sales: Sales of Docupass (preventive document dossier), guidebooks, sports coupons, and other products through the online shop.
5. Individual Financial Aid and Support Funds: Individual Financial Aid (IF) and Financial Aid for Widows, Widowers and Orphans (WIWA) based on federal law on supplementary benefits (ELG Art. 17), plus Emergency Aid Fund (EHF) for urgent expenses not covered by private means or social insurance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn is a non-profit foundation that delivers free social counseling, household help services, administrative assistance, movement coaching, transportation, and a leisure course program to senior citizens across the Canton of Solothurn. The organization also sells the Docupass preventive planning dossier and guidebooks through an online shop, and offers Individual Financial Aid (IF) to elderly persons in need.

Product overview

Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn operates as a social services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of services for seniors. The core offerings include: free Social Counseling (Sozialberatung) through four regional offices covering financial, legal, housing, and care topics; the Aktiv Haushilfedienst for household assistance; Administrative Hilfen for administrative support; Online im Alltag for digital literacy; and Bewegungspatenschaft for mobility support. The Docupass serves as a key purchasable product—a personal pre-planning dossier for emergencies containing patient directives, power of attorney, and will templates. Leisure activities are provided through an extensive course program (Kursprogramm) covering sports, social events, language courses, and cultural activities. Financial assistance programs (Individuelle Finanzhilfe) help seniors afford essential items like hearing aids and glasses. Municipal consulting services help communities assess and improve age-friendliness. The organization also maintains an online shop selling Docupass products, guidebooks, and sports coupons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Docupass: Personal precautionary dossier containing patient directives, power of attorney for care, instructions for death, and will guidelines.
• Bewegungspatenschaft
• Aktiv Haushilfedienst
• z'Tanz
• Rendez-Vous-Schiff
• Digital Coach

Products and services

• Docupass A personal preventive-planning dossier that helps individuals prepare for emergencies, including an information brochure, patient directive (Patientenverfügung), power of attorney (Vorsorgeauftrag), death instructions, will guide, and personal Vorsorgeausweis. Available in German, French, and Italian at CHF 19.00.
• Sozialberatung (Social Counseling) Free social counseling services covering financial advice, legal and pension planning, care for relatives, life design, dementia, and housing consultations for senior citizens. Delivered across four regional offices.
• Aktiv Haushilfedienst Active household help service providing domestic assistance to seniors to support independent living at home.
• Administrative Hilfen Administrative assistance helping seniors with monthly payments, insurance reimbursements, and tax return completion.
• Online im Alltag (Digital Coach) Digital assistance services helping seniors navigate the digital world, including smartphone and computer tutorials.
• Bewegungspatenschaft Movement sponsorship program that pairs seniors with volunteer movement coaches for regular walks and exercises to maintain safety and independence.
• Fahrdienst Thierstein Transportation service for the Thierstein region provided by volunteer drivers for senior citizens.
• Freizeit- und Kursprogramm

Quantifiable outcome

• 5% increase in counseling hours year-over-year to 10,068 hours in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• innocent (Smoothie Company)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Campaign partnership for 'Das Grosse Stricken' (The Big Knitting). Between October 14, 2025 and July 1, 2026, volunteers knit 88,888 hats for innocent smoothie bottles. For each smoothie sold with a hat, innocent donates 45 rappen to help elderly people. The hatted smoothies will be available at Coop and Migros retailers from autumn 2026.
• SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBB sponsors digital literacy courses including 'SBB Mobile' training for seniors. Courses on reading schedules and purchasing tickets are free to participants thanks to SBB support.
• RaiseNow AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationDonation technology provider based at Hardturmstrasse 101, 8005 Zurich. Processes online donations securely (SSL encrypted) for Pro Senectute's fundraising activities. PCI-DSS certified payments.
• Socialdesign AGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal audit firm (Schosshaldenstrasse 22, 3006 Bern) commissioned by BSV for contract-compliant service delivery verification. Reviews sample data from cantonal Pro Senectute organizations.
• Kofmehl Event VenueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership venue for 'z'Tanz' Disco 60+ events for seniors. First event held April 27, 2025 with multiple follow-up sessions including Sunday afternoon and Friday evening events.
• Spitex Thierstein/DorneckbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome care organization for the Thierstein and Dorneckberg region. Approximately 75 employees in three nursing teams plus specialized teams for wound management, psychiatry, and household help. Provides care for approximately 17,000 residents in 13 municipalities.
• Prix MerciminorOthersToni Stebler from Canton Solothurn nominated for the Prix Merci award, which recognizes and honors people who volunteer to help elderly persons.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Benevol Schweiz: National platform for volunteer engagement and management in Switzerland. Relevant as Pro Senectute relies heavily on volunteer coaches, drivers, and household helpers; Benevol competes for the same volunteer pool and could either partner or pressure volunteer recruitment.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Schweiz: Large Swiss non-profit providing social counseling, financial assistance, and welfare services across Switzerland. Comparable as a multi-cantonal social assistance organization with similar funding mix (donations, subsidies) and similar elderly/vulnerable population focus, though broader in scope.
• Curaviva Schweiz: Swiss umbrella association for care institutions including elderly care homes and assisted living. While more focused on residential care providers, it represents the broader institutional ecosystem in which Pro Senectute operates and competes for elderly support mandates and policy influence.
• Pro Infirmis Schweiz: Swiss non-profit providing services for people with disabilities, including elderly with age-related impairments. Comparable as a ZEWO-certified disability/social services foundation with regional offices, free counseling, and federal/municipal funding — operates as a parallel specialist organization under the same Swiss welfare ecosystem.
• Pro Senectute Schweiz: National umbrella organization for Pro Senectute and the direct parent entity. Operates as the largest specialist/service organization for elderly people in Switzerland, providing coordination, advocacy, and shared services across all 22 cantonal Pro Senectute branches — directly comparable as the same organization at the national scale.
• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (Swiss Red Cross): Major humanitarian organization providing health, social, and emergency services across Switzerland. Operates programs targeting elderly (mobility aid, visitation services, health courses) and shares comparable funding profile — federal subsidies, donations, ZEWO certification — and canton-level delivery model.

Others

• Docupass / Pro Senectute Editions: National Pro Senectute product line for Docupass (personal pre-planning dossier) sold across all cantonal shops. Comparable as the direct upstream/downstream product channel for Pro Senectute Solothurn's web shop — the same brand's commerce platform.

Direct peers

• Spitex Verband Schweiz: National association for outpatient home-care services in Switzerland. Spitex organizations (including Spitex Thierstein/Dorneckberg, a partner of Pro Senectute Solothurn) provide both clinical and non-clinical home help to elderly — directly competing with and complementing Pro Senectute's Aktiv Haushilfedienst and social counseling services.

Regional players

• Sozialberatung Kanton Solothurn (Sozialregionen): Cantonal/municipal social welfare offices in Canton of Solothurn providing statutory social assistance. Directly comparable as a same-canton provider of social counseling and financial aid for residents in need, including elderly — operates in a partly overlapping but government-mandated role.
• Alzheimer Solothurn: Cantonal affiliate of Alzheimer Schweiz serving the same Canton of Solothurn. Provides dementia-specific counseling and caregiver support that overlaps directly with Pro Senectute's dementia advisory service line; an Alzheimer Solothurn board member sits on Pro Senectute's Foundation Council, signaling close ecosystem relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDWC9TuordSSRqrqmU6LgQA
• Facebookfacebook.com/prosenectutesolothurn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-senectute-kanton-solothurn

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pro Senectute Kanton Solothurn