​Seniors Matter(s): Time Bank!

I read this article from a student while he was studying in Switzerland. He starts by saying, “I rented a house near the school.”

The landlady, Kristina, was a 67-year-old single lady who had worked as a teacher in a secondary school before she retired. Switzerland's pension is very good - enough not to worry about food and shelter in her later years.

However, she actually found "work" - taking care of an 87-year-old single old man. I asked if she was working for money.

Her answer surprised me: “I do not work for money, but I put my time in the ‘time bank,’ and when I cannot move in my old age, I can withdraw it.”

The first time I heard about this concept of "time bank," I was very curious and asked the landlady more.

*The original “Time Bank” was an old-age pension program developed by the Swiss Federal Ministry of Social Security. People save the 'time' taking care of the elderly when they are younger, and when they become old, ill or need care, they can withdraw it.*

Applicants must be healthy, good at communicating and full of love. Every day, they must look after the elderly who need help.

Their service hours will be deposited into the personal 'time' accounts of the social security system.

The landlady went to work twice a week, spending two hours each time helping the elderly, shopping, cleaning their rooms, taking them out to sunbathe, chatting with them.

According to the agreement, after one year of her service, *"Time Bank”* will calculate the aggregate period she has worked and will issue her a “time bank card.”

And, when she needs someone to take care of her, she can use her “time bank card” to withdraw “time and time interest.” After proper verification, “Time Bank” will assign other volunteers to take care of her at the hospital or at her home.

One day, I was in school, and the landlady called and told me that she fell off the stool when she was wiping the window.

I quickly took leave and sent her to the hospital for treatment. The landlady had fractured her ankle and needed to stay in bed for a few days.

While I was preparing to apply for a home to take care of her, the landlady told me that I need not worry about her. She had already submitted a withdrawal request to the “Time Bank.”

Sure enough, in less than two hours, "Time Bank" sent a nursing worker to come and take care of the landlady. The nursing worker took care of the landlady every day, chatted with her and made delicious meals for her.

Under the meticulous care of the nursing worker, the landlady soon recovered her health. After recovering, the landlady went back to "work." She said that she intends to save more time in the "time bank" while she is still healthy.

Today, in Switzerland, the use of "time bank" to support old age has become a common practice.  The Swiss government also passed legislation to support the "Time Bank" scheme.

*What a beautiful concept! I hope it gets adopted all over the world!