Vasa Museum 2016
Since I got back from Sweden a few days ago, I have been
reflecting on the class and the experiences we had. The class has always been an eye-opening
experience for American students and this was the case again. We held a wrap up session in Stockholm, and
the students showed how much they understood about the goals, accomplishments
and shortcomings of the Swedish welfare state.
I think that actually visiting programs that serve older people makes
the lectures about the Swedish system more real and shows the students that an
excellence in care of older adults and children, as well as support to
families, can be achieved.
Having been going to Sweden since 1989, I have seen many
changes in the laws and in the care system.
Many of the people we met talked about recent changes—an emphasis on
supporting older people in their own homes and making care more
person-centered. Yet these goals were
apparent from the beginning. But they are
difficult to achieve, and so the new initiatives have been developed to get
closer to these high goals. This is the
flexibility in the Swedish system—the possibility to try new things out.
Joy Torgé, who is one of the new faculty at the Institute for
Gerontology, raised interesting points about how our views of older people affect
our expectations for them and reinforce the worst stereotypes about aging. She noted that contemporary views of
successful aging, such as the Rowe and Kahn model, say, in effect, that you are
only successful in you don’t get sick or become disabled. Joy contrasted this view with perspectives
from the community of disabled adults, who place much more emphasis on finding
ways that make life good despite disability.
This is an important correction to all the unrealistic puffery in the
media and the scientific community that if we only exercise enough or eat just
the right things—which of course won’t taste very good—then we will live
independently and healthy all the rest of our lives. It’s not true! We need a model that accepts that at some
point people will have health problems and disabilities, and that it is
possible to create conditions for a good life, despite those changes. Sure, exercise and a healthy diet are
helpful, but bad things will still happen. It’s what Bo Malmberg, calls “sooner
or later.”
One of the things that always struck Judy and me about
Sweden was the number of older people who use “walkers,” or what the Swedes
call “rollators.” It finally struck me
why. They are free! Of course more people use them. Here people are reluctant to invest the money
is buying one, because they don’t think they will really use it. But once people try it, they see that it
gives them help with balance and improves their ability to get around. And it probably prevents falls. Medicare wants to prevent falls. Here’s a way.
From a personal perspective, I felt a bit sad that this
would be the last Sweden class I taught.
The class will be in good hands—Beth Fauth, Sydney Schaefer and Lesley
Ross plan to continue it, possibly along with Frank Infurna. I bit my tongue and did not say, “I could
come along next time.” It’s better to
end on this high note. I feel like a
ballplayer ending his career with a World Series win.
New Video on the
Meaning of Age
I want to call your attention to a new video called “Young
Body,” made by Penn State student Cara Burke as her senior project. It explores the meaning of age and aging from
the perspective of people of different ages.
You can see it at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js474f4b3aY
The
Vasa Museum
The photo is from the
Vasa Museum in Stockholm, my favorite site in Stockholm and the first place we
take students. The Vasa is a 17th
century warship that sank in Stockholm harbor on its maiden voyage (bad
engineering), and was raised in 1961 and restored. The story of its raising and restoration is
impressive and the ship is incredible.
No comments:
Post a Comment