You know that Beatles song: “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” But what about when you’re 84? We (meaning social workers, researchers, gerontologists and the like) talk a lot about providing care for the growing population of older adults, the importance of creating communities where people can age …
The political party platforms and you – Amanda Toler Woodward It’s election season and that means attack ads, overblown rhetoric, scare tactics, and tiptoeing around certain topics in mixed company. I don’t want to be left out so my original plan for this post was to compare the two major parties’ platforms in relation to …
Photo from 401kcalculator.org Last summer Paula Span wrote a piece in the New York Times about a retirement home in Virginia that decided to make the dining area and other public spaces available only to residents who lived in independent living. After residents and families protested and the Justice Department sued under the Fair …
Ehtookoto provides housing and support services to older adults and adults suffering from mental health problems in the municipality of Lempäälä, Finland. It was founded in 1965 and embodies the principles of empowerment and client-centered services that we often talk about, but sometimes struggle to put into practice. It is also situated in a lovely, …
Last time I described voluntary associations in Finland and their importance in elder care and the development of the social welfare system in general. Today I have two examples of associations in Tampere that provide services for older adults. One is Mummon Kammari (Granny’s Corner). Mummon Kammari is an association of older adult volunteers and …
The title of this post is a bit of a misnomer because I’m not actually in Finland any more. Sadly, my 7 weeks in Tampere have come to an end. I’m glad to be home and was very happy to sleep in a pile of quadrupeds last night, but I already miss my Finnish home …
When I first got here I envisioned frequent posts about my experiences here. And then suddenly it is June! This week Masters of Social Work students from Michigan State University were in Tampere with my colleague Karen Newman as part of our MSU – Tampere of University of Applied Sciences exchange. They visited a variety …
Okay, I’m not physically in Finland yet, but mentally . . . ? I’m looking forward to my time in Tampere. In particular, I’m excited to: Participate in the Tampere University of Applied Sciences Social Science International Week; Practice my Finnish (friend, colleagues, family – please speak to me in Finnish as much as you …