Exploring the eventful history of the Care Centre Baar

The history of the Baar Care Centre reads like a crime novel. This is evident from a guided tour of the photo exhibition marking its 60th anniversary.
 

The Baar Care Centre (Pflegezentrum), which is celebrating ‘60 years of care with heart’ this year, is located right next to the Cantonal Hospital, and is sponsored by the municipality and the Citizens' Community of Baar (Bürgergemeinde) and the City of Zug. At the last guided tour of the current photo exhibition, the nursing centre's managing director, Corina Maron, welcomed the guests, before author Mirjam Weiss humorously recounted the eventful history during the tour.

"Sick and elderly people in Baar have been cared for in the civic community's poorhouse, the old people's home and the infirmary since 1894. Around 50 years later, however, it became clear that the old asylum was no longer sufficient. Baar was experiencing huge population growth at the time, and the civic community decided to build a new hospital opposite the asylum. Together with the municipality, it founded the Spital Baar Foundation (Stiftung Spital Baar) in 1965, with the aim of establishing a hospital with free choice of doctor for the population of Baar.” But the signatories could not have imagined at the time how rocky the road would be – including  for long-term care.

The nursing home looks back on 60 years and shows what it used to look like in the same location with a photo exhibition           
Impressive images allow us to immerse ourselves in the history of the institution 
The corridors of the nursing centre invite you to take a trip back in time
Photos: Stefan Kaiser

Actress Karin Schnyder, dressed as a nun, highlighted the hardships faced by the Menzingen sisters who provided care in the asylum at the time: ‘The old buildings are dilapidated and not wheelchair accessible. There is no lift. We have to hang the bed linen on a line on the terrace, and we no longer have enough staff. We can no longer provide adequate care.’ Mirjam Weiss added that the conditions had become untenable, with operations being performed in a normal room. As a disappointed Baar councillor, Karin Schnyder portrayed the endless quarrels with Zug.

New impetus for long-term care
One photo, for example, shows the old asylum in 1977, which was demolished in 1978. The acute care hospital (Akutspital) had already opened opposite in 1974, and the nursing home (Pflegeheim) was added in 1977. Because the nuns were increasingly lacking new recruits, a nursing school with a high-rise building was built next to the chronic care hospital for secular staff in 1984. The school was closed in 2008.

A photo of the ground-breaking ceremony for the new nursing centre in 2004 shows planners and representatives of the authorities. The significant changes in nursing care were made possible not only by the new building, but also by the reorientation of nursing care: Geriatrician Hans Peter Fisch brought new ideas. ‘In the past, people just lay there, but he encouraged them to be more active.’ Said Mirjam Weiss. This is illustrated by the photos of the residents, who clearly enjoy meeting up or painting together. During the tour, the two women cheerfully portrayed how modern care works today as a nurse and an elderly resident.

The centre soon became too small, however, so an extension was added in 2016, where the tour ended. ‘The story is as exciting as a crime novel,’ said Mirjam Weiss, who contributed to the book ‘Für Menschen da’ (There for People), which reports in detail about the hospital and the care centre.

And the board with the milestones shows everything that has happened in Baar. The photos complement the information and, according to Corina Maron, come from the archives of the municipality and the city. ‘A team prepared everything. We want to show technology and progress in care, as well as the people involved. The residents enjoy the exhibition, but so do retirees who used to work in the home or hospital. There are always good conversations.’
 

Information:
The photo exhibition at the Baar Care Centre is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm until the 29^th August. The next interactive tours will take place on the 28^th July at 2 pm and the 13^th August at 10 am.