Towards Integrated Models for Eldercare through Critically Exploring the Welfare- and Family-Based Models in India and Sweden

The program aims to assess how contemporary models of eldercare are integrating perspectives and values, i.e. perspectives from users, employees and managers and, values regarding dignity /worthy response to older people and sustainable work environment. This, in two countries with different national models for eldercare, e.g. a welfare- and family-based models in transitions, and, areas within them with diverse resources for providing eldercare. The presentation will give an overview of the project and present the first results of managers’ value-related dilemmas, handling and organizing for more integrated care for older people in Sweden, as well as supportive conditions for successful managerial work in these issues. Method: (1) Questionnaire to managers of eldercare (n=345) analysed descriptive and with SEM; (2) Explorative interviews with managers of eldercare in different socioeconomic areas of Sweden. Results: Managers experienced many kinds of value-related dilemmas in their work. Value-related conflicts were associated with their work overload and the models for organizing care of older persons. Organizational support had a positive impact on more successful handling and organizing value-integrated care with higher degree of user involvement, and also with managers own health and sustainability. For example, managers’ access to administrative support, rules and policies that support the managerial role co-varied with the assessment of meeting user-involvement. The findings are then deepened through case-studies of eldercare in Sweden and India with reference to the existing cultural contexts and system frameworks. We will present examples of what kind of contemporary models that have been developed in Sweden and in India. However, these organizational improvements seem to develop slowly also in Sweden, despite a well-developed welfare system and a new policy of integrated care. Conclusions: The results indicate the importance of resources at several system levels for organizing value-integrated care with both sustainable working conditions and user participation.