You may wonder what happens to a person who cannot take care of themselves 24/7, but who does not yet want to move to a service house. Well, there is something here called "patrollem," or we would say home patrol. With patrol there is a medical component and a social services component. So how it works is that an older person can get a bracelet with a button on it that is connected to a centralized operator. If they need something–from help with meals, to eye drops, to getting to bed, to heart attack or serious medical problems—they push their button. The operator then puts them in contact with the appropriate parties. The regular, social services patrol does the non-medical-emergency stuff and are staffed 24 hours a day. Some people have regularly scheduled visits from patrol (usually help getting in and out of bed in morning and evening, or help with basic medicines) and some people only use it when they are really in need of some help. Sometimes the older person just wants a visit, or a light bulb changed, or to check their blood sugar, and so patrol goes to do that. Each of us in this class gets to spend an evening doing patrol. I did mine already and it was pretty slow. But it was a great opportunity to visit some real Swedes.
Here people have this concept, "aging in place," and it is legally protected. Basically it is a right that people should be allowed to age how and where they wish, and society will support that. Of course in some cases it can get quite expensive to help someone who needs much care, but the economics make much more sense than the way we do it in the U.S. when we put someone in a home who only needs help with preparing meals, for example. They say they've done the math and it is much less expensive, as well as better for the citizenry, to enable someone to stay in their home as long as possible.
There is also the concept of universality and equality in regards to social services, i.e., health care, education, etc. I think that is so great and puts a word on the problem in the US with education for young people and health care in old age. In these two aspects we have universality, but these services are not equitable at all. (BTW, note that there is a difference between equal and equitable, something I had never thought of before but is what the US is trying to get at with affirmative action). In order to help ensure equitable social service practices, municipalities—kind of like counties in the US—(Swedish: Kummun), have much more power than does the federal government. Basically the higher up you go the less power the government has. I had always assumed that in socialist states that the feds would have much power, but they really don't. We asked this chief of geriatrics at a hospital we visited if someone could pay to go to a different hospital or for extra special services. He explained that though, of course, it is possible in some cases, it is really frowned upon because of the fear that they would develop a system that treated some people better than others. Imagine that being a legitimate concern at home.
Oh, I want to live here where welfare is what it is, and is not a dirty word. I think it is sick that social welfare is a dirty word in the US. What does that say about us as a people?!
...and the saunas are very nice here as well:)
When I was on patrol and told the ladies we had no such system in the U.S., they looked puzzled and said, "But who cares for the old people?" Indeed.
OK, enough about serious stuff. What have I done for fun? Unfortunately not too much because we have been working a lot. I was planning to stay in Goteburg with the other girls, but I was so tired from the week and from being around so many people that I really just wanted to stay here at the hotel and explore the town. But I did stay for the early evening in Goteburg and went to their famous amusement park, Liseberg, for a few hours. I plan on going to a local graveyard to see some old stones later today or tomorrow here in Jonkoping. Also, there is a match stick museum, the world's only one, where I must go before I leave. Seriously, can you go to a town that boasts the world's only match stick museum and not go?
There is a nice city park here in Jonkoping. If I can attach a picture, I will show a view from the park (blogger is being hateful about photos for some reason); I lost a post 2 days ago because it was being so cranky. Anyhow, it was a beautiful park, but like I said earlier the landscape is very similar to back home so it doesn't feel much different here. Earlier today I went to thrift stores and the flea market and the farmer's market in town. That was much fun; far more fun than shopping downtown where things are too expensive to buy. I really feel the pinch of the dollar here with $25 hamburgers (at a sit-down place) and $3 cokes (at the 7-11).
Oh, and we also got to see some Italian singers giving a performance at the service home yesterday. It was so beautiful. And the old people there asked us to please sing them a song too and the only song we all could think of was the national anthem. It was pretty funny. Then the old people and staff there sang us a Swedish song. It was much fun!
No comments:
Post a Comment