Today our group ventured to Lovisenberg Omsorg+ for our community health clinical. Omsorg+ is housing for those over age 67 who can mostly manage on their own but feel it is unsafe, impractical or lonely to do so. At Omsorg+, these individuals have their own apartments with various community spaces where they can connect and continue to build relationships. Here they have a program called “eat with friends” where volunteers from the community can come and have dinner with the residents. Today our group participated in this by serving them dinner and keeping them company during the meal. This aligns with health goal #3, ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, as this program aids in decreasing the health concern of loneliness and social wellness for this particular age group. 

While we were there we noticed a few assistive devices we have not seen used in the US. The first was an assistive device for the stairs pictured above to help them up and down the stairs in a safe and discreet way. This is comparable to the chair lift but allows the person to still have some independence and takes up less space. We also noticed a difference in the walkers they used, they had elbow supports to allow them to stand straight up while walking versus normal walkers where many users become hunched over. Overall we felt they were able to move around better and had much better posture with the use of this type of walker. 

Lastly, we brought an Ohio tradition to Norway, making buckeyes! We explained to them where the candy got its name and how to make them. And then of course we ate the candy when we were done! They were overjoyed by the whole experience and loved the buckeyes! Some asked for seconds and thirds, and even asked to take some back to their room for later! It was such an amazing experience to show them this and see their joy in learning about it.

The arrival to Oslo, Norway posed some new character builders for myself and a fellow student. Between multiple flight delays, missed flights, and misplaced luggage, this trip already thus far has taught us a valuable lesson that also goes along with a value of nursing: remain flexible. However, this did not dull the shine of the initial arrival into Oslo. Upon arrival and exiting the train station, we were taken aback by the beautiful sites that were before us. Beautiful sunny weather, fresh air that smelled of flowers, and bright greenery left us in awe. Below is a park we walked by when we left the train station and the street our hotel is on.

Next, we met the rest of the group at Oslo Street Food and had dinner. This restaurant had an open food court style of dining that had many food options from cultures around the world. I noticed the population of people were predominantly younger 20-30’s and it was quite crowded as it was a Saturday evening. While eating at this establishment, i noticed that due to the densely crowded area and multiple number of restaurants, i thought about the waste and trash that would be created. This goes along with sustainable development goal #12 which is responsible for consumption and production. With each meal, paper bowls and wooden silverware was provided. Additionally, all drinks were served in glasses that were to be washed and reused. Finally, there was a compost bin and recycling present at the restaurant. This made me reflect on the waste and plastic use in the United States and how paper, wooden utensils, and compost/recycling is not often seen. My “aha” was that waste could be cut down dramatically if we made some of these small changes in the United States.