Today there are 54 short-term places for the elderly in the municipality of Östersund. There, people end up needing rehab as well as extra support and assistance, for example after an accident or hospital stay.

Security team instead of short-term housing

But now the Board of Health and Care Services will make a decision to reduce the number of places. At the committee's meeting on February 5, the chairman Lise Heimgaard Svensson (M) expects a decision to close the short-term accommodation on Barkvägen in Torvalla city center.

- Even when we set a budget, we saw that we would have to cut back on short-term places, so yes, it is obviously about efficiency improvements, she says. But it is also the case that we look to get to their own home and instead get help from the security team and get rehab gives better effect than short-term housing. It is also not good for old people to move. This is what research is on.

54 million will be saved

The Board of Health and Care Services in the municipality of Östersund will reduce its costs by 54 million, which is four percent of the committee's total budget.

From the healthcare side, the shortage of short-term places is often highlighted as a problem, people are skillfully treated from the healthcare perspective, but remain in the hospital waiting for a short-term place. How do you comment on that?

- We don't have that many. But it has been difficult to put the thoughts of the security team into communication with the healthcare system during the exclusion process, says Lise Heimgaard Svensson.

Short term for those who really need it

Today, in the municipality of Östersund, there are 54 short-term places of the kind found on Barkvägen. After the closure of the accommodation on Barkvägen, there are 39 such places left. In addition, there are a total of 12 available short-term apartments in the municipality.

- Short-term is good and we will continue to have short-term places for those who really need it.

The staff working on short-term housing on Barkvägen may retain their employment within the municipality

"We are in great need of this staff," says Lise Heimgaard Svensson, chair of the health and care committee in the municipality of Östersund.