Billions Donated in Aid and War – While Pensioners Lose Meals

While enormous sums are being sent abroad in the form of aid and support for war, there are severe cutbacks affecting the very people who helped build Sweden. At several care homes across the country, classic ingredients have been removed from the menu so that municipalities can save money.

A survey conducted by Sveriges Radio Ekot and P4 shows that more than 30 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities have reduced the use of certain food items in elderly care, including salmon, Bregott, and flavored yogurt.

In Arboga, the changes have been especially noticeable. Both the Sunday roast and the salmon have been removed from the menus for the elderly. At the Trädgården care home, 84-year-old Rut Bark lives and is concerned about the development.

“I don’t want them to remove it completely. We don’t have that much else to look forward to,” the 84-year-old tells SR.

But the cutbacks aren’t just about daily luxuries disappearing. According to Lisa Thungren, a dietitian in primary care in the Västmanland Region, the changes could have much more serious consequences for the elderly. There’s a risk of increased malnutrition, which in turn means a deteriorated quality of life for the individual.

Politicians Defend the Decision

The municipality’s decision to cut back on certain food items is defended by Rahaf Ramdo of the Christian Democrats, second deputy chair of Arboga municipality. She refers to the economic constraints.

“We have the Local Government Act that we must adhere to. We need to have a balanced budget, which requires us to take certain measures that not everyone may like,” she tells SR.