Jönköping University 2016
It was a marvelous day today in Jönköping, Sweden, with sun and
a deep blue sky. After a morning of discussions of old age care in Sweden, we
went on a visit to the first of 3 nursing homes we will see during the course.
The building was old, built on the model of a hospital, and not
like more modern designs that are homelike and encourage activity and
interactions among residents. On the plus side, residents had their own rooms
with their own bathroom. None of the lunacy of roommates. Really, if you are old and frail and maybe
have a bit of difficulty remembering, would you want to share your room with a
complete stranger? The rooms were filled with residents' own furniture.
Importantly, residents signed leases to their apartment, a small matter
perhaps, but one that calls attention to the staff about how they should be
treated. As the director told us, she wants the staff to see themselves as
going into someone's home, and not thinking, "It's my workplace."
The director stressed the importance of giving care that
"helps people keep living their life the way they were." She
talked about new initiatives in Sweden to learn residents' values and to plan
care and activities around these values. And not to do the expedient
thing. This can be hard when what the person wants to do involves safety
and hygiene, for example, to refuse repeatedly to shower. "We have
ethical discussions and reflections" to find a way to solve these kinds of
problems and give care that supports the person's values. When have you ever
met a nursing home director who has ethical discussions with her staff?
American
nursing homes are also emphasizing person-centered care that respects the
person's own preferences and values. Some places like the Abramson Center
outside of Philadelphia get it right. In many places, however, they’re just
empty words. Here, it's the law and everyone is expected to find a way.
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