Sofi Ludvigsson Ferm has seen first-hand the challenges of both retaining and recruiting assistant nurses for elderly care in the municipality. Although the situation is strained all year round, the summer is especially difficult to put together.
"There have been many sweaty summers in the past. Every summer it gets worse and worse," she said.
SEK 30,000 in compensation
To cope with the situation, thirty employees in elderly care, and six employees in the care of disabled people, are now offered to postpone the holidays and receive a lump sum in compensation.
"If you postpone your entire main holiday and take it out later in the year or earlier, you get a one-off sum of SEK 30,000," says Sofi Ludvigsson Ferm.
One and a half million kronor has been set aside by the municipality to make it possible.
According to the municipality, there has been great interest among the staff. All thirty offers in elderly care have been used, while work on the other six places in the care of disabled people has not yet begun.
"Fun with appreciation"
Assistant nurse Anna Paulsen accepted the offer.
"It suits me – to have a little vacation before the summer and a little after," she says.
For her, however, the extra money wasn't the only motivation.
- My thoughts weren't there at first. But of course, if you get a little extra because you show up in the summer, it's obviously fun with that appreciation," says Anna Paulsen.