This morning I opened HA’s online newspaper and read the first sad news: 30 to 40 are on the waiting list for a place in a nursing home! Yes, it is the case that we want to live at home as long as possible, but when you are old, sick and afraid of being alone, most people dream of safe surroundings, care and nursing in a nursing home! I don’t think that a single one of those on the waiting list does not have a real need for a place!
I have worked as a volunteer in the nursing home sector for 16 years and can clearly see that those who finally get a place in a nursing home today are considerably weaker both physically and mentally than when I started working as a volunteer as a newly retired person!
We know that we are getting more and more elderly in our municipality! We also know that diseases often come with the years and that more and more people get dementia!
Home nursing in our municipality does a fantastic job! I know that from my own experience, knowledgeable, pleasant and helpful! But they run between those who need help! When I was a politician, I occasionally had questions from elderly, sick people who had help from home care several times a day, but felt unsafe between visits and asked if I could help…
And then a little later in the day came a report from Agenda Kaupang! Another sad chapter! The follow-up? Close 40 nursing home places! So 80 on the waiting list then!
I won’t say more about it now, but I’m worried about what’s to come!
I know, as a former politician, that this with health both in terms of younger and older users is difficult to calculate! Overspending is not good, and the municipality’s finances should preferably balance out!
Actually, I’ve been scared today – on behalf of all of us older people!
