The number of people over the age of 80 will have doubled by 2040. A large shortage of health personnel means that there will not be enough hands to take care of an ever-growing elderly population. The government is therefore proposing several measures to keep older people active and plans to require both healthy and ill older people to stay at home longer than before. On Friday, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap), Health and Care Minister Ingvild Kjerkol (Ap) and Municipal and District Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp) presented the government’s elderly reform, “Community and coping – Stay safe at home”. The government’s new plans worry Jorunn Solhaug (102) in Grane municipality in Nordland. The Dementia Choir entertains before Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Local Government and District Minister Sigbjørn Gjelsvik and Health and Care Minister Ingvild Kjerkol present the Storting message “community and mastery Build a safe home” at Queen Ingrid’s garden in Oslo on Friday. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB 102-year-old too healthy for nursing home Solhaug had a short stay at the nursing home in his home municipality earlier this year due to an inflammation. While there she fell and broke her back which cannot be operated on due to her advanced age. Nevertheless, the application for a permanent place at the brand new nursing home was refused. – You are going back to your flat, because you are fit. They didn’t ask if I wanted to go home, it was just to pack up and get here, says Jorunn that she was told. Now the 102-year-old lives alone with help from home nursing. It was Helgelendingen who mentioned the matter first. The elderly will be allowed to live at home for longer The government’s reform for the elderly contains a number of measures, including the housing program for the elderly. The elderly housing program will contribute to both adaptations in the elderly’s homes so that they can live at home for longer and to the construction of care homes, safe housing and nursing home places. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has said that more elderly people should be able to live active lives longer and experience security in their own homes. The worst thing is the loneliness. Daughter Bodil Solhaug says that her mother sits in a chair all day. With a broken back, a bad foot and bad balance. But the worst thing is the loneliness. Jorunn Solhaug says that she misses her place in the nursing home. It was more social. – I dreamed one night that I invited for coffee, it was my family who came. Suddenly they had disappeared and I was left standing there alone. Here, Jorunn says that she spends most of the day: – You struggle with the fact that your own mother is not well and spends every day sitting in the chair until bedtime. It is undignified, says daughter Bodil Solhaug. Photo: Ole-Christian Olsen / news Solhaug believes that life would be much more meaningful if she could spend the rest of her life in an environment where she could be more social. Her social circle mostly consists of cleaners, health personnel and her daughter Bodil. Bodil says that the mother is in need of care, if she had not needed care she is sure what she would have done. – Then I would have taken her home. The municipality: – We have our criteria Grane municipality has built a brand new nursing home. But here they will not make room for the 102-year-old. Anita Nilsen Mellingen, acting municipal director in Grane, tells news that she cannot comment on individual cases and refers to the duty of confidentiality. – We have our criteria and guidelines to follow. I fully trust the work the employees do with us, says Mellingen. Photo: OLE-CHRISTIAN OLSEN / news The municipality says they have no shortage of places in the nursing home. – We have a good amount of places, but as of now we are probably quite full and in the nursing home. I think we can handle things as of today as it is. Council of the elderly: – Fly away Agnete Tjærandsen (90) is head of the council of the elderly in Bodø. She has seen the report about Jorunn and reacts strongly to what she sees. – I’m getting really pissed off, to put it a bit crudely. Here sits an old lady who is healthy in the head, but has a frail body. She sits alone in a chair all day. – Is this something that is an isolated case for Grane, or are there similar stories you see around Nordland? – Similar examples can be found all over the country, says Tjærandsen. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell / news Tjærandsen thinks it is good that the government wants more elderly people to live safely at home. – I myself am only 90 and live at home and manage on my own. But she says she knows of many who don’t. – Kjerkol says she will travel around the country and listen. Then I ask: Kjerkol, is this cry loud enough from a 102-year-old for you to take action?
ttn-69
102-year-old Jorunn in Grane is too healthy to go to a nursing home – news Nordland
