Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Enterprise Denmark
Marina.
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Holiday in safe, social and sunny surroundings – no matter your age It is a sad fact of life that as people become older and health problems emerge, their opportunity to travel and explore disappears. This is an experience that Finn Bejer-Andersen wants to change. In 2012, he set up Nordisk Senior Service (NSS) on the Costa del Sol, Spain, where elderly Scandinavians with possible handicaps can spend a holiday with the level of care they need from professional health personnel. More than 50 per cent return the following year. By Louise Older Steffensen | Photos: Nordisk Senior Service
“I think everyone knows an elderly relative or friend who doesn’t travel anymore because they’re afraid to do so or don’t think they can,” Bejer-Andersen explains. “At Nordisk Senior Service, we meet our guests at Málaga airport and then we take care of everything right up until they go through security at the airport again. If someone needs assistance with a wheelchair on excursions, we do that; if they’d like help with showering or with bathing in the sea, we’ll be there. And if someone would rather be left alone, that’s fine too.” Guests have their own suites or flats and access to a swimming pool, international television, internet, 84 | Issue 91 | August 2016
and even a nearby Danish church. If unexpected help is suddenly needed, staff are there 24-7, and a local Danish, Swedish and Norwegian doctor can be brought in. Bookings can also be made with a local Danish physiotherapist and refunded in Denmark. Bejer-Andersen and the staff meet many couples where one partner cares for the other and the other is reliant on their partner for all activities. At an NSS respite care holiday, both partners get the opportunity to recharge their batteries and have fun together without constantly needing to worry about the other.
Whether guests visit alone or together, the setting usually becomes highly social as staff and several guests plan trips together to the thriving local markets in Málaga or towns such as Mijas, Márbella or Fuengirola. Danish Bejer-Andersen enjoys chatting to guests, and he and the Danish (and Norwegian-married) carer Søren provide a safe and comfortable line of communication between guests and locals, while Spanish carer Angela is hugely popular amongst guests. The NSS carefully plan every stay with the coming guests before booking to ensure they comply with individual requirements. A few severe handicaps can unfortunately not be accommodated, but interested parties are encouraged to get in touch to check possibilities. For more information, please visit: www.nordisk-senior-service.dk or call +45 3693 4340