It's a thorny issue - elder rights to privacy and autonomy versus getting in their business and taking care of them. The son could have called in someone with authority I guess - and probably should have. Still, I imagine it was a tough call.
Have you read Stieg Larsson's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo?" Ever since I read it a couple of months ago I've been turning over the fact that apparently in some countries the state will just step in and take over a person's life for reasons less than being a danger to themselves of someone else. Whatshername, the girl, could handle her life fine, just differently, but the state took complete control over her finances. In theory it might be a nice idea - people who can't take care of themselves should be taken care of - but in practice, ugh - so many things wrong.
I have not read it - but weirdly someone was just telling me I need to see the film. lthough *how* exactly -- maybe Rocket has it.
I would go simpler - I think public utilities should be prevented from shutting off in winter. Period. If the subscriber is elderly or there are children, then the late/non payment should be forwarded to a social service agency and do a homecheck. And yes, things can go wrong - they go wrong in either direction. If I have to chose between lesser wrong, I'll pick the state stepping in and controlling my finances any day over freezing to death.
I agree that utilities shouldn't be shut off in winter. My husband told me once that when he lived in Fargo, the local law was that landlords had to include heat in the price of rent or they couldn't rent a place. One way of approaching the problem - at least with renters.
I'm not sure that I would pick erring on the side of state intervention over neglect. I might just be getting old, cranky and libertarian though. What's that old saying? If you're not liberal when you're young you have no heart, if you're not conservative when you're middle aged you have no brain ... if you're not libertarian when you're old you haven't dealt with the DMV/public schools/etc enough? ; )
I have real issues with libertarianism - but like a good former bartender I avoid topics of politics and religion ;)
I do think the bureaucracy in the US is worse than say Holland. Which is ODD because we have that socialist *horror* nanny government that everyone is so terrified of. But somehow it's easier to navigate. Case in point - I *still* don't have a parking permit on my car. I have been to the office 4 times with various documents - but somehow never the right ones, and the clerks can never tell me what the right ones are. My dutch documents were mailed to me "because you'll need these". It is attitude as much as red tape.
I'm joking about the libertarianism. Nevetheless, I am fascinated by how as I age I have less and less confidence in authority and more and more distaste for anyone telling me what to do. I begin to understand the libertarian mindset.
Nevertheless, we are a society and and such we need rules. Further, an efficient and effective gov't can take care of those of us who need help. As you say, it's in the attitude. Done well, it's a good thing - done badly, it's a horror. Can you imagine those people in charge of your parking permit deciding you aren't to be trusted with your own finances? ::shudder::
I think where I was going is that it's this half-assed attitude that creates problematic bureaucracy, not nanny-stateism per se. We in the US have massive, ridiculous bureaucracies for things that don't really require it, and let really important things slide into "free choice". It's silly - except it's also deadly.
Well, the rules are really strict and I actually don't think Lisbeth, as she is described, would qualify. Our Swedish system probably wouldn't have been much help in the above case either since Goggins wasn't diagnosed with dementia. Though I do think we have laws against turning off heat and water and the like.
I'd been wondering if Lisbeth really would have qualified or if Larsson was taking poetic license there. If yes, that's pretty scary so I had my doubts. Thx.
Have you read Stieg Larsson's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo?" Ever since I read it a couple of months ago I've been turning over the fact that apparently in some countries the state will just step in and take over a person's life for reasons less than being a danger to themselves of someone else. Whatshername, the girl, could handle her life fine, just differently, but the state took complete control over her finances. In theory it might be a nice idea - people who can't take care of themselves should be taken care of - but in practice, ugh - so many things wrong.
Reply
I would go simpler - I think public utilities should be prevented from shutting off in winter. Period. If the subscriber is elderly or there are children, then the late/non payment should be forwarded to a social service agency and do a homecheck. And yes, things can go wrong - they go wrong in either direction. If I have to chose between lesser wrong, I'll pick the state stepping in and controlling my finances any day over freezing to death.
Reply
I'm not sure that I would pick erring on the side of state intervention over neglect. I might just be getting old, cranky and libertarian though. What's that old saying? If you're not liberal when you're young you have no heart, if you're not conservative when you're middle aged you have no brain ... if you're not libertarian when you're old you haven't dealt with the DMV/public schools/etc enough? ; )
Reply
I do think the bureaucracy in the US is worse than say Holland. Which is ODD because we have that socialist *horror* nanny government that everyone is so terrified of. But somehow it's easier to navigate. Case in point - I *still* don't have a parking permit on my car. I have been to the office 4 times with various documents - but somehow never the right ones, and the clerks can never tell me what the right ones are. My dutch documents were mailed to me "because you'll need these". It is attitude as much as red tape.
Reply
Nevertheless, we are a society and and such we need rules. Further, an efficient and effective gov't can take care of those of us who need help. As you say, it's in the attitude. Done well, it's a good thing - done badly, it's a horror. Can you imagine those people in charge of your parking permit deciding you aren't to be trusted with your own finances? ::shudder::
Reply
Reply
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=sv&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsv.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FF%25C3%25B6rvaltarskap&sl=sv&tl=en
I apologize for the horrible translation.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment