Besparingskrav eller självbestämmande? - En studie av idéerna kring utformningen av Göteborgs äldreomsorg

Abstract

Background: Compared to other countries Sweden has an extensive welfare system. The system is in general financed by public funds. The same goes for the healthcare for elderly people. Before 1992 the healthcare was funded by the state, but after 1992 the organizing and financing responsibilities was decentralized to municipal level. Today, the amount of elderly is growing in society. Despite the fact that the group of elderly grows there are budget cuts and the situation is that there are a lot of municipalities that cannot meet the need to care to the elderly. How has this situation emerged? Purpose: The purpose with the study is to study the ideas that explain the elderly care over time. Which ideas have been prominent and has worked as the instrument for change the model of healthcare for elderly. The study is based upon the theories that study the ideas that lead to institutional change. The study is based on the city of Gothenburg and how the city has organized its healthcare for elderly people. Method: A qualitative analysis on the city of Gothenburg using critical text analysis based on city budgets and annual reports between the years 1992-2016. Complemented by a study on the city's plan for the elderly and retirement homes. The material was collected on the region archive and home page. Results: The consequences are that the amounts of beds on the retirement homes are reducing steadily and the healthcare for the elderly are now focused on help in their homes. The focus in itself comes from the idea of independence and freedom for the elderly. But, there is a paradox, health care is focused on help in the homes because of the lack of beds in retirement homes. The elderly are getting healthier and most of them want to live at home, but still the queues are growing to get a room on a retirement home.