They are both in their 90s. He is in slightly better health than her, because he has had a short stay in a nursing home. While she has been given a long-term place in another nursing home. – I want us to live together, says John Narvik to Tysvær mayor Sigmund Lier (Ap), whom he meets by chance at the site where the municipality will collect much of the care for the elderly in a new health quarter in Aksdal. A health quarter which will gather all the nursing home places in the municipality in one place, and a number of other health services, Lier tells Narvik. But if the Narvik couple gets to live together, he won’t promise. – As mayor, I cannot intervene and overrule who will get a place in a nursing home, or where, replies mayor Narvik. Astrid Narvik lives at Aksdalstunet nursing home. While her husband John Narvik lives at Tysværtunet nearby. Photo: Åse Karin Hansen / news Doubling of the number of elderly The aging wave is about to wash over Tysvær municipality, like many other municipalities. In 2030, there will be more elderly people than children in Norway for the first time. In ten years’ time, Statistics Norway (SSB) has calculated that Tysvær will have twice as many residents over the age of 80 as today. Already in 2030, there will be a need for 115 nursing home places, compared to 69 today. – We have had to rethink, because there are neither finances nor enough health personnel to run 115 traditional nursing home places in 2030, or over 200 places that are needed in 2050, says Lier. The new thing is a round-the-clock care service that will be the step below a nursing home. Elderly people who can no longer manage at home will be given a place in a care apartment either in the health quarter or in the village of Nedstrand four miles away. There, they will receive help as needed, around the clock. Calculations made for the municipality show that such a place costs half as much as a place in a nursing home. – We want to give as much help as possible before they get a place in a nursing home. First at home, and then on the new step we will introduce. The mayor also hopes that gathering many health services in one place will lead to a larger professional environment. – Municipalities are already fighting over health personnel. If we are going to be able to get hold of people, this could be the way to do it. Not enough health personnel In KS, Tysvær is praised for how they intend to meet the wave of elderly people. Chairman of the board Gunn Marit Helgesen believes that elderly care is one of the most important things municipalities must take care of in the next four years. And one of the biggest challenges. – The lack of health personnel is well felt, and there is a big difference in how far the municipalities have come in their plans for how to deal with the wave of elderly people. – It is not realistic to increase staffing just for elderly care. Therefore, new thinking is needed to be able to staff up the health service in the best possible way, as Tysvær is doing. Political scientist Svein Tuastad at the University of Stavanger agrees with Helgesen that care for the elderly is about the most important thing municipalities do. But he calls for greater debate in the election campaign about what care for the elderly should contain. – In school policy, there are more concrete and interesting debates. Free after-school, free homework and school meals to name a few. Elderly care is often about private or public providers. – Phrasing that means nothing All parties have something about care for the elderly in their programmes. Tuastad believes it is either too little concrete or just long sandwich lists that everyone can agree on. – A party in Stavanger has a point in its program that they should focus on recruiting new personnel. It’s a platitude that means nothing. We and the parties should be concerned with what we can concretely do to improve, and what others are doing wrong. Political scientist Svein Tuastad at the University of Stavanger. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news – It is not a “free lunch” to gather together in larger units. It will go beyond the offer elsewhere. If care for the elderly gets a good offer, the politicians risk taking away, for example, upbringing. A debate will inform us about such consequences, and the voters can then decide what they think is best. Rematch It has been two years since a unanimous municipal council decided to build a health quarter. How it should look, and how the entire care for the elderly should be organised, the new municipal council must decide on. Nedstrandtunet is one of three nursing homes in Tysvær municipality. It is located four miles from the municipal center Aksdal. Photo: Åse Karin Hansen / news – We are for the health quarter, but we cannot centralize everything to the municipal centre. We want living villages, and then we must rather build up the offer in Nedstrand than reduce it, says SV’s first candidate Hildegunn Flengstad. She wants to keep the nursing home places at Nedstrandtunet, one of the three nursing homes the municipality has today. First candidate for Tysvær SV, Hilde Flengstad Photo: Åse Karin Hansen / news At Tysværtunet, 100-year-old Klara Sørli has been given a short-term place. She is most concerned that the elderly must get help when they need it, preferably at home. Because she does not intend to stay at the nursing home, she is going home. 100-year-old Klara Sørli says she has had a good life. Now she wants to stay at home as long as she can. Photo: Åse Karin Hansen / news – I want to stay at home as long as I can. It’s great to be 100 years old, and to be healthy and keep up with your head. John Narvik is also not too concerned with what is to be built or what it is called, as long as he gets his wish fulfilled. – Can I live with my Astrid in the health quarter, he asks Lier. The mayor still cannot promise that. But he makes a promise to Narvik. – I promise that I will take it up with the councilor if you can live together, then we’ll see what happens.
ttn-69
Gathering a lot of care for the elderly in one place – political scientists call for what care for the elderly should contain – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
