Elderly care, neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism…

Mats Thorslund.

In a discussion on elderly care in Sweden last night a professor in Social Gerontology Mats Thorslund said that the question “What care without dignity is” wasn’t interesting in the commission of inquiry concerning what care with dignity is. He had tried to raise this question with no response (whatsoever?) from the others in the committee (except from one person?).

Someone also spoke about that by redefining the needs (in this case the needs of elderly people) the politicians can get around the laws.

Here an article about that the old people’s needs in elderly care aren’t governing. And here about class differences in elderly care. See how the sociey is meeting old people's needs. More about Mats Thorslund and what he does (all those linked texs are in Swedish).

And once again, the more unequal society the worse the health not only among the poorest but through the whole society, due to the stress through the whole society. More equal societies work better.

Is the solution to go back to old time’s class differences? Should we rethink everything in the society? Is this with elderly care a symptom on something in the society and the whole world?

On Health Care...

[Updated August 26 with links in the end of the posting]. Links from Avaaz on the proposed health care reform in the US:

Myths about the proposed health care reforms, extreme tactics of the conservative right, also see here, Paul Krugman on health care*, the extent of the health care lobby, health insurers stocks rise as health care plans fade, and about the truth about Europe’s Health Care.

Also read Johann Hari in “Republicans, religion and the triumph of unreason - How do they train themselves to be so impervious to reality?” and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Addition: * Paul Krugman on universal health care in USA, see the following.

”At this point, all that stands in the way of universal health care in America are the greed of the medical-industrial complex, the lies of the right-wing propaganda machine, and the gullibility of voters who believe those lies.”

On health care in Great Britain, NHS - and Stephen Hawking.

Addition August 26: See “Public health care: Canadian perspective on myths and reality” and "The Cause of My Life” by Edward Kennedy.