Personal Assistance in Sweden

Independent Living Institute. 2008. Independent Living movement’s 25 years of existence in Sweden 2008 - Documentation.

Kerstin Nilsson, vice chair person of STIL welcomes the guests. I am honoured to welcome you to this conference to celebrate the Independent Living movement’s 25 years of existence here in Sweden. During these two days we should above all learn from each other, from our different experiences of Independent Living and how we as persons with different disabilities handle the challenges we meet on a daily basis.

Berg, Susanne. 2004. "Ge oss makt inte medlidande" är ett radioprogram om STIL och kampen för personlig assistans.

Ge oss makt inte medlidande är ett program/podcast om STIL och kampen för personlig assistans. 2004-04. Lyssna-MP3 (28:21 minuter, 26,6 MB).

Stockholmskooperativet för Independent Living är resultatet av ett litet antal individers kamp för personlig assistans i mitten på nittonhundraåttiotalet. Personlig assistans är, i motsats till hemtjänst eller boendeservice, en service knuten till den enskilde själv. Den som behöver assistans bestämmer själv vem som ska assisterar med vad; när det ska göras och hur.

[Gäst]. 1998. Time Magazine Recognizes Adolf Ratzka as European Visionary. Time Magazine.

In 1961, German-born teenager Adolf Ratzka was paralyzed by polio. He seemed destined to spend his life in institutions, but at 22 won a scholarship to study in California. The U.S. was then the only country with Photograph of Dr. Adolf Ratzka together with daughter, Katharina.facilities, such as a personal assistant and a car that could be driven by wheelchair-bound people, enabling severely disabled persons to pursue normal academic study.

Dr. Adolf Ratzka. 1995. Supporting families in keeping disabled family members at home: Swedish policy instruments.

In most countries the importance of the family as a form of social insurance is declining. As the extended family gradually disappears with industrialization and the labor market's demands on geographical mobility, as divorce rates go up and single parents become increasingly common, the ability of the family to provide mutual aid in everyday life is diminishing. One of the results is that families have fewer resources left for members with special needs such as disabled children or old parents. If there is no place for these groups in the family, where can they turn to?

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