Beitostølen health sports centre loses adult rehabilitation service

BEITOSTØLEN (Dagbladet) — From 1 November, Beitostølen Helsesportsenter will no longer provide rehabilitation services for adults over 30 from large parts of southern and central Norway after a new procurement round.

Patients and advocates say the change amounts to discrimination and risks leaving adults with disabilities without access to a unique, activity-based rehabilitation model.

Inger-Lise Gleditsch, who has multiple sclerosis, said she felt singled out. “Why should someone over 30 living in the wrong health region be denied care? I still have a disability,” she told Dagbladet. “It made me angry and disappointed.”

Former cross-country skier Øystein Pettersen, known for his work with the TV series Team Pølsa, called the centre’s staff and programmes “irreplaceable.” He said their expertise in adapting activities such as cycling, skiing and outdoor life was crucial for participants in the series.

The Blindheim family also highlighted the centre’s impact. Their son Syver, a Team Pølsa participant, attended five habilitation stays at Beitostølen, where he tried activities including slalom, cross-country skiing, cycling, climbing and dog sledding.

“When Syver became seriously ill, our first stay at Beitostølen was eye-opening,” said his father Øyvind Blindheim. “The focus on possibilities there changed our lives.”

Centre director Astrid Nyquist warned that decades of built-up expertise could vanish if the service disappears. “The Norwegian model guarantees equal access to healthcare regardless of where you live,” she said. “A disability doesn’t end at 30. These new agreements create unfair differences between patients with identical needs.”

Marius Riverud, a centre user, said the programme’s value lies in letting patients test activities and assistive devices before applying for everyday equipment.

Helse Sør-Øst told Dagbladet that patients will still receive tailored rehabilitation despite the changes.

The centre specialises in activity-based rehabilitation for people with disabilities, offering adapted sports such as slalom, cycling, riding and climbing alongside practical solutions for daily life.