My husband and I have just returned from the bowling alley where we bowled three stings. This is a major accomplishment since we haven't bowled for probably a year. This is the first time out since my hip replacement and it felt good. I had an average of 83 for the three stings...not great but I'll take it. This is definitely something that I will want to do again...soon.
Yesterday afternoon I was part of a team of two who made a two hour presentation on Arthritis to the residents of Drummind Hills (spelling?) That was the first time I had worked with that material and with the co-presenter...it went well. There are a few things I would change but all in all, I am having a good week. Getting out and about, getting things done and moving on.
And I have a hair appointment for tomorrow.
Showing posts with label broken health care system. Show all posts
Showing posts with label broken health care system. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Where does the time go?
Past the mid point in March, almost a quarter of our new year is gone. And I am not sure what I have to show for the time. Certainly I have not accomplished as much as I had hoped to. Maybe my expectations are too high or maybe I am letting valuable time and effort get chewed up with non productive things.
I have a six month check next week for the hip replacement surgery that I had in late September. Doesn't seem like six months. While I am still working on strengthening muscles in my legs, I have no pain in the hip joint and I am looking forward to a summer full of movement without pain. My knee is another story, waiting for the call to have that operation.
Snow is almost gone, of course it is early yet and we could get more...but as my mother always said "It can't last when it comes in March or April" I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt.
The air smells like spring, although I am still looking for the first robin. Soon.
I have a six month check next week for the hip replacement surgery that I had in late September. Doesn't seem like six months. While I am still working on strengthening muscles in my legs, I have no pain in the hip joint and I am looking forward to a summer full of movement without pain. My knee is another story, waiting for the call to have that operation.
Snow is almost gone, of course it is early yet and we could get more...but as my mother always said "It can't last when it comes in March or April" I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt.
The air smells like spring, although I am still looking for the first robin. Soon.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Nova Scotia's Heatlh Care System ... More Problems
thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9019774.html
Halifax police investigate homicide at nursing home
Halifax’s latest homicide victim is a 92-year-old woman who died Saturday, almost four weeks after she was pushed and fell at the hands of another resident of her nursing home.
The woman succumbed to her injuries at Arborstone Enhanced Care Nursing Home on Purcells Cove Road after a Jan. 7 incident involving her and another elderly female resident, according to a statement from Shannex, the company that owns the home.
The Shannex statement said the victim and the woman who allegedly pushed her were both in their dementia unit and that neither woman had a history of aggression. The injured woman went to hospital for 11 days before her return to Arborstone.
“We investigated the incident fully at the time of the occurrence and determined that the cause of the fall was unpredictable and not something that the staff could have prevented,” the statement said.
Despite the decision to rule the case a homicide – which was made by the province's medical examiner – police have decided not to detain the woman they think contributed to the other woman’s death.
“At this time there’s no believed risk to the public or other residents,” regional police spokesman Const. Brian Palmeter said Tuesday.
The Halifax Regional Police/RCMP integrated major crime unit will investigate. They first heard of the incident after the woman’s death.
“Given the circumstances around the death and the circumstances around the people involved in the incident, there’s a question whether or not criminal culpability exists,” Palmeter said.
A number of factors can play a role in determining criminal culpability, he said.
“One potential one is somebody’s mental condition at the time of the incident. Another one is whether or not self-defence is an issue. Essentially what we have to determine is whether or not the incident on Jan. 7 rises to the level of a criminal offence and then whether or not the person is ultimately responsible for the incident”
According to their website, Arborstone has space for 190 clients, which include seniors requiring nursing home care and young adults with special needs.
In a media session held mid-afternoon Tuesday, Health Minister Maureen MacDonald expressed remorse and concern about the incident.
“It’s a very sad situation … and we will gather extensive information.”
She said the department's critical incident policy will be followed to gather information and determine if proper procedures were followed.
“We will examine it very closely to learn what, if anything, we need to change.”
MacDonald said she’s spoken with family members of the victim, but she declined to say if they are considering any legal action over the killing.
Police didn’t release the victim’s name, but The Chronicle Herald has learned that it is Pauline Ethel Hartling, whose husband of 46 years (Ken Hartling) died just over a week before Jan. 7.
They had no children and both of them worked as school teachers.
Members of her family declined to comment Tuesday.
Halifax police investigate homicide at nursing home
Halifax’s latest homicide victim is a 92-year-old woman who died Saturday, almost four weeks after she was pushed and fell at the hands of another resident of her nursing home.
The woman succumbed to her injuries at Arborstone Enhanced Care Nursing Home on Purcells Cove Road after a Jan. 7 incident involving her and another elderly female resident, according to a statement from Shannex, the company that owns the home.
The Shannex statement said the victim and the woman who allegedly pushed her were both in their dementia unit and that neither woman had a history of aggression. The injured woman went to hospital for 11 days before her return to Arborstone.
“We investigated the incident fully at the time of the occurrence and determined that the cause of the fall was unpredictable and not something that the staff could have prevented,” the statement said.
Despite the decision to rule the case a homicide – which was made by the province's medical examiner – police have decided not to detain the woman they think contributed to the other woman’s death.
“At this time there’s no believed risk to the public or other residents,” regional police spokesman Const. Brian Palmeter said Tuesday.
The Halifax Regional Police/RCMP integrated major crime unit will investigate. They first heard of the incident after the woman’s death.
“Given the circumstances around the death and the circumstances around the people involved in the incident, there’s a question whether or not criminal culpability exists,” Palmeter said.
A number of factors can play a role in determining criminal culpability, he said.
“One potential one is somebody’s mental condition at the time of the incident. Another one is whether or not self-defence is an issue. Essentially what we have to determine is whether or not the incident on Jan. 7 rises to the level of a criminal offence and then whether or not the person is ultimately responsible for the incident”
According to their website, Arborstone has space for 190 clients, which include seniors requiring nursing home care and young adults with special needs.
In a media session held mid-afternoon Tuesday, Health Minister Maureen MacDonald expressed remorse and concern about the incident.
“It’s a very sad situation … and we will gather extensive information.”
She said the department's critical incident policy will be followed to gather information and determine if proper procedures were followed.
“We will examine it very closely to learn what, if anything, we need to change.”
MacDonald said she’s spoken with family members of the victim, but she declined to say if they are considering any legal action over the killing.
Police didn’t release the victim’s name, but The Chronicle Herald has learned that it is Pauline Ethel Hartling, whose husband of 46 years (Ken Hartling) died just over a week before Jan. 7.
They had no children and both of them worked as school teachers.
Members of her family declined to comment Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Physiotherapy is Finished
The weekly visits to the hospital's physiotherapy department have finished but the exercises and the challenges of getting my strength and flexibility in my leg muscles is an ongoing challenge. I can feel improvement and for that I am thankful.
The structure of my work week has changed. I am now working Tues, Wed and Thurs each week, and Wed is working from home. So only two trips into the office most weeks. I am actually looking forward to the change of getting out of the office and visiting the chamber's members and calling on businesses to get them signed up as members. The plan is for that to be 3 to 4 hours a week. So my real in office time will only be 1.5 days if that. Meeting time for committees or board meetings reduces that office time even further.
January is always a hard month for me. Short days with limited sunlight and winter well settled in with its grip on almost everything I do. On a positive note, January is half over and we have had only one snow storm so far this winter. Last night and today are above freezing temps so a lot of that snow fall has melted, hopefully more will go before the -5 to -10 night temps return.
All in all, January has been good so far. I am looking forward to 2011 and everything it will offer.
The structure of my work week has changed. I am now working Tues, Wed and Thurs each week, and Wed is working from home. So only two trips into the office most weeks. I am actually looking forward to the change of getting out of the office and visiting the chamber's members and calling on businesses to get them signed up as members. The plan is for that to be 3 to 4 hours a week. So my real in office time will only be 1.5 days if that. Meeting time for committees or board meetings reduces that office time even further.
January is always a hard month for me. Short days with limited sunlight and winter well settled in with its grip on almost everything I do. On a positive note, January is half over and we have had only one snow storm so far this winter. Last night and today are above freezing temps so a lot of that snow fall has melted, hopefully more will go before the -5 to -10 night temps return.
All in all, January has been good so far. I am looking forward to 2011 and everything it will offer.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Super Day
Today was a day of change and hurry up and wait. I awoke at 5:00 a.m. so got up and started working on the BACC newsletter, finalizing it for mailing to our list. The next "must do" was a trip to Liverpool for my physiotherapy appointment and I got the good news that I have made a lot of progress in just three days. That was definitely encouraging. Then into Bridgewater for lunch, errands and then home. The trees along the way were covered with a light dusting of snow, grey overcast skies and the feeling of winter in the air. I took a few pictures for "my photo journal" that I am keeping on another of my blogs http://artisticpreneur.blogspot.com.. I am having some fun with the photographs and I am starting to "see" my surroundings.
I will be working 20 hours a week for the next few weeks, not a significant reduction in my existing hours which works well for me. I am looking forward to having my job description defined so I know what is expected.
All in all a good day so far. Oh, the traffic to my blogs is starting to increase.
I will be working 20 hours a week for the next few weeks, not a significant reduction in my existing hours which works well for me. I am looking forward to having my job description defined so I know what is expected.
All in all a good day so far. Oh, the traffic to my blogs is starting to increase.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
January 5, 2011
Tuesday morning was my first physiotherapy appointment in 2011 and my first appointment with Donna who will now be my go to person. My back has been sore for four or five days, tight and painful to do simple things like walking. I had stopped my exercises as they seemed to be aggravating the problem and I wasn't sure if that is what I should have done, so I was a bit apprehensive about the appointment.
It only took Donna about 15 seconds to figure out what was wrong and what had caused it. Seems the muscles in the hip area should be both strong and flexible. Mine are neither. My exercises were to build strength but I hadn't been doing anything to increase the flexibility so my back was taking the brunt of a lot of my moving activities. So now I am back to some really basic stuff to help improve flexibility. I have an idea that it will take me as long to learn to walk correctly this time as it did when I was a toddler and anxious to explore the world from an upright position.
I have another appointment for Friday am. Two appointments a week, for a while. Oh joy! However, I will do what is required to get my old body whipped into the best shape it can manage.
It only took Donna about 15 seconds to figure out what was wrong and what had caused it. Seems the muscles in the hip area should be both strong and flexible. Mine are neither. My exercises were to build strength but I hadn't been doing anything to increase the flexibility so my back was taking the brunt of a lot of my moving activities. So now I am back to some really basic stuff to help improve flexibility. I have an idea that it will take me as long to learn to walk correctly this time as it did when I was a toddler and anxious to explore the world from an upright position.
I have another appointment for Friday am. Two appointments a week, for a while. Oh joy! However, I will do what is required to get my old body whipped into the best shape it can manage.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Letter to Minister Graham Steele
To: Honourable Graham Steele
Minister of Finance
From: The ACE Team
2053 Old Sambro Road
Halifax, N.S.
B3V 1C1
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
In your attempt to sell Nova Scotians your budget, (95.7 Talk Show) you indicated that health care costs were the main drivers for the increase in taxes. There were several other interviews involving Dr. John Gilles suggesting that a road-show similar to yours was necessary to get a feel for what the people of Nova Scotia want in a health care system. Dr. John Ross, ER CEO and Spokesperson for the NDP, indicating that “A Study” should be done on how to improve ER Services in this province.
Please allow me to save you millions; Our Health Care System has been studied to death.
We want more money spent where the rubber meets the road…. on patients who are suffering unacceptable wait times. We want excessive and costly administrative levels and executive, eliminated or downsized. We want systemic uncontrolled “Health Industry” initiated cost drivers, brought into line with today’s economic reality. In essence we want better patient service by reducing money spent on counting and talking about health care dollars. Non Medical expenditures are what is out of control. We all know there is no shortage of money. Resources are being siphoned off by non medical special interests…. with everyone on side, except the patients and the taxpayer.
No, we don’t need any more expensive studies. Our health care system has been studied extensively by the following reports;
The Romano Report – The most favored by Canadians. Recommends keeping our national health care system public. This report suggested that our health care system is seriously underfunded. Our province was paid one hundred million dollars following this report, which was applied to the provincial debt instead of health care. Also, $800 Million in offshore royalties was applied to the debt.
The Canadian Health Research Foundation - A not for profit organization. Suggests: that factors outside the main health care system such as drug costs, insurance providers and other non medical cost drivers are responsible for the increasing costs in health service, all at the expense of patients service levels.
Dr. Michael Rachlis - Expert on Canada’s Health Care system and outspoken Universal / Public Health Care defender, suggests : Canada’s Health Care System is
sustainable without increased funding and that “more efficient use of funds” already provided is the answer to improving Health Care for Canadians.
Corpus Sanchez Report - A profit driven U.S.A. based organization advises how privately run hospitals in the U.S. can become more profitable through cost cutting measures and making patients pay more, for treatment. This organization set up shop in British Columbia waiting to capitalize on the Canadian system. They expect to benefit from hospitals privatization after our national health care system ollapses. This organization pushing privatization at a time when Americans are well underway to adopting a Universal / Public Health Care System.
This million dollar report basically suggested the dismantling (privatizing) of our
provincial health care system as we know it. One focus of this report is to de-emphasize rural ERs which is already in progress here in Nova Scotia. I believe keeping ERs open was …. an NDP Election Promise???
Nine Provincial District Health Authorities. These DHAs supposedly consult with their communities on a daily basis on how to better improve the health system.
Supposedly, there are ongoing meetings being conducted by the nine Community District Health Boards in the name of cost saving measures. These local authorities have produced instances where money was doled out to local interests i.e. ATV Association of Nova Scotia and walking clubs. Both wrong decisions in what you describe as a crisis situation.
I listened to interviews given by Dr. John Ross and Dr. John Gilles that suggested fewer surgeries were and are necessary in order to save money. Is it about saving money,… at patients peril? It was also suggested that by not having enough medical personal (front line staff), ERs, particularly in the rural areas of the province are either forced to cut back in the number of hours they operate or close altogether. The reduction of 1.5 million dollars, announced in your budget, to Dalhousie Medical School for the training of new Medical professionals further emphasizes the reality / fact that your government is stealthily dismantling our health care system. It is becoming apparent that the financial problems of our health care system are caused by non-medical services (i.e) pharmaceutical companies, suppliers of medical equipment, too many layers of government and administration that are outside of the main core of direct patient care. It is up to this NDP government to control the costs of these outside forces instead of further eroding our health care system and continually attacking patients and taxpayer.
Money is sprinkled throughout the health care system like so much confetti from the Federal government on down to the DHAs and is being wasted through too much governmental and administrative layering and not enough on patient care, particularly the elderly. There are rumors of a $300,000.00 dollar catering account at one major hospital. Also, Blackberry communication devices being handed out to executives at another facility, regardless of necessity.
At present there is no accountability on how our health tax dollars are being utilized and no independent watchdog to make sure money is being spent effectively & efficiently. In plain words people need to be shown where the money goes. “Show Me the Money”.
As spokesperson for the ACE Team (Advocates for the Care of the Elderly) I am calling on the NDP to do the right thing and really demonstrate to the people of Nova Scotia by making the spending of our health tax dollars more effective and transparent by setting up a system that shows exactly how our health tax dollars are being spent while keeping in mind the plight of the elderly and the abuses many of this most vulnerable segment of our population and their caregivers suffer at the hands of our health care system.
Gary MacLeod
The ACE Team (Advocates for the Care of the Elderly)
Minister of Finance
From: The ACE Team
2053 Old Sambro Road
Halifax, N.S.
B3V 1C1
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
In your attempt to sell Nova Scotians your budget, (95.7 Talk Show) you indicated that health care costs were the main drivers for the increase in taxes. There were several other interviews involving Dr. John Gilles suggesting that a road-show similar to yours was necessary to get a feel for what the people of Nova Scotia want in a health care system. Dr. John Ross, ER CEO and Spokesperson for the NDP, indicating that “A Study” should be done on how to improve ER Services in this province.
Please allow me to save you millions; Our Health Care System has been studied to death.
We want more money spent where the rubber meets the road…. on patients who are suffering unacceptable wait times. We want excessive and costly administrative levels and executive, eliminated or downsized. We want systemic uncontrolled “Health Industry” initiated cost drivers, brought into line with today’s economic reality. In essence we want better patient service by reducing money spent on counting and talking about health care dollars. Non Medical expenditures are what is out of control. We all know there is no shortage of money. Resources are being siphoned off by non medical special interests…. with everyone on side, except the patients and the taxpayer.
No, we don’t need any more expensive studies. Our health care system has been studied extensively by the following reports;
The Romano Report – The most favored by Canadians. Recommends keeping our national health care system public. This report suggested that our health care system is seriously underfunded. Our province was paid one hundred million dollars following this report, which was applied to the provincial debt instead of health care. Also, $800 Million in offshore royalties was applied to the debt.
The Canadian Health Research Foundation - A not for profit organization. Suggests: that factors outside the main health care system such as drug costs, insurance providers and other non medical cost drivers are responsible for the increasing costs in health service, all at the expense of patients service levels.
Dr. Michael Rachlis - Expert on Canada’s Health Care system and outspoken Universal / Public Health Care defender, suggests : Canada’s Health Care System is
sustainable without increased funding and that “more efficient use of funds” already provided is the answer to improving Health Care for Canadians.
Corpus Sanchez Report - A profit driven U.S.A. based organization advises how privately run hospitals in the U.S. can become more profitable through cost cutting measures and making patients pay more, for treatment. This organization set up shop in British Columbia waiting to capitalize on the Canadian system. They expect to benefit from hospitals privatization after our national health care system ollapses. This organization pushing privatization at a time when Americans are well underway to adopting a Universal / Public Health Care System.
This million dollar report basically suggested the dismantling (privatizing) of our
provincial health care system as we know it. One focus of this report is to de-emphasize rural ERs which is already in progress here in Nova Scotia. I believe keeping ERs open was …. an NDP Election Promise???
Nine Provincial District Health Authorities. These DHAs supposedly consult with their communities on a daily basis on how to better improve the health system.
Supposedly, there are ongoing meetings being conducted by the nine Community District Health Boards in the name of cost saving measures. These local authorities have produced instances where money was doled out to local interests i.e. ATV Association of Nova Scotia and walking clubs. Both wrong decisions in what you describe as a crisis situation.
I listened to interviews given by Dr. John Ross and Dr. John Gilles that suggested fewer surgeries were and are necessary in order to save money. Is it about saving money,… at patients peril? It was also suggested that by not having enough medical personal (front line staff), ERs, particularly in the rural areas of the province are either forced to cut back in the number of hours they operate or close altogether. The reduction of 1.5 million dollars, announced in your budget, to Dalhousie Medical School for the training of new Medical professionals further emphasizes the reality / fact that your government is stealthily dismantling our health care system. It is becoming apparent that the financial problems of our health care system are caused by non-medical services (i.e) pharmaceutical companies, suppliers of medical equipment, too many layers of government and administration that are outside of the main core of direct patient care. It is up to this NDP government to control the costs of these outside forces instead of further eroding our health care system and continually attacking patients and taxpayer.
Money is sprinkled throughout the health care system like so much confetti from the Federal government on down to the DHAs and is being wasted through too much governmental and administrative layering and not enough on patient care, particularly the elderly. There are rumors of a $300,000.00 dollar catering account at one major hospital. Also, Blackberry communication devices being handed out to executives at another facility, regardless of necessity.
At present there is no accountability on how our health tax dollars are being utilized and no independent watchdog to make sure money is being spent effectively & efficiently. In plain words people need to be shown where the money goes. “Show Me the Money”.
As spokesperson for the ACE Team (Advocates for the Care of the Elderly) I am calling on the NDP to do the right thing and really demonstrate to the people of Nova Scotia by making the spending of our health tax dollars more effective and transparent by setting up a system that shows exactly how our health tax dollars are being spent while keeping in mind the plight of the elderly and the abuses many of this most vulnerable segment of our population and their caregivers suffer at the hands of our health care system.
Gary MacLeod
The ACE Team (Advocates for the Care of the Elderly)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Preparing for a Meeting with the Premier
We have a second meeting with the Premier of Nova Scotia to discuss the services provided to patients of Alzheimer's and their families. Many families are in the position of trying to care for a loved one who has dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease in their homes. There is a minimum of financial support and in some areas little community support.
With the number of Alzheimer's patients expected to double in the next few years it is essential that our health care system be changed so that it can deal with this increasing demand. We all know that our government is facing a financial challenge with a huge deficit looming BUT that is no reason to ignore the plight of Nova Scotians who are facing their own person challenge of Alzehimer's
If you have examples of recent events that will strengthen our cause please let me know by leaving a comment for this blog. I will not publish your email addresses or any personal information that you are not willing to share.
One voice is the start of a chorus...please join this chorus so we can bring change to a sick and ailing system.
Thanks.
With the number of Alzheimer's patients expected to double in the next few years it is essential that our health care system be changed so that it can deal with this increasing demand. We all know that our government is facing a financial challenge with a huge deficit looming BUT that is no reason to ignore the plight of Nova Scotians who are facing their own person challenge of Alzehimer's
If you have examples of recent events that will strengthen our cause please let me know by leaving a comment for this blog. I will not publish your email addresses or any personal information that you are not willing to share.
One voice is the start of a chorus...please join this chorus so we can bring change to a sick and ailing system.
Thanks.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Second Breath
The holidays are over, as is most of February. There are still serious problems in the health care system in our province. Patients are still waiting for long term care beds and families are still stressed and pulled almost beyond their resources.
My friend, whose father was bruised and abused at the Aberdeen Hospital last summer and fall, and I will be part of a delegation (for want of a better word) to meet with Premier Darryl Dexter on March 9th, 2010. This will be the second meeting with the Premier of Nova Scotia about the care, or lack of, provided to patients of Alzheimer's disease and those suffering from dementia.
The following is our list of requests...a bare minimum that we feel will improve the lot of many Nova Scotians.
1. That all staff having interaction of any kind with patients have training in how to deal with patients with Alzehiemer's Disease or Dementia. For example the 30 hour course that is available through the Alzehiemer's Society ... as the very least level of training acceptable.
2. That the wait list...wait time be reduced significantly. We know that there are 6000+ beds for long term care in the province and we know that there are over 1200 on a waiting list to receive a bed. That is as of October 9th. That is unacceptable. Most reasonably intelligent adults in this country realize that the population is aging, that dementia and Alzhiemer's are more prevelent in the elderly, and that there will be more demand for long term care in the immedately and foreseeable future. There are over 1200 families in crisis waiting for a safe, caring environment for their loved one. It is my understanding that there is currently only one individual in place to process applications for long term care beds. How can one individual do this on a timely basis? Maybe that is why it took from early June to early October for the application for Mr Williams to be admitted in a long term care facility to be processed and for him to be officially 'on the list'.
3.Home care support must be improved. Mr. Williams' widow was eligible for 40 hours of assistance each month to help with the home care of Mr Williams. That is almost an insult to a family that is dealing with the care of a loved one 24 hours each and every day. 10 hours a week really doesn't begin to address the problem.
4.The final aspect that demands immediate attention is the access to information and support services for the families. Yes there is currently a lot of information available, but when a family is struggling with the day to day business of living and caring for a loved one, they really don't have time to spend hours searching the internet or calling various agencies to see what services are available. A central clearing house of information (on the model of Cancer Care perhaps) needs to be established. A standard needs to be set and maintained.
These were, and continue to be, our requests.
Again, anyone reading this is asked to write a letter or email to the Premier of Nova Scotia or to the Health Minister asking for these four things to be put in place. One voice may not make a change, but all changes start with one voice.
Heath Minister
Department of Health
4th Floor, Joseph Howe Building
1690 Hollis Street
P.O. Box 488
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2R8
Phone: (902) 424-3377
Fax: (902) 424-0559
health.minister@gov.ns.ca
Premier Dexter Contact Information
Office of the Premier
7th Floor, One Government Place
1700 Granville Street
P.O. Box 726
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T3
Phone: (902) 424-6600
Fax: (902) 424-7648
premier@gov.ns.ca
The course of action should be simple:
1. Identify the problems
2. Look at alternative solutions
3. Implement the solutions
My friend, whose father was bruised and abused at the Aberdeen Hospital last summer and fall, and I will be part of a delegation (for want of a better word) to meet with Premier Darryl Dexter on March 9th, 2010. This will be the second meeting with the Premier of Nova Scotia about the care, or lack of, provided to patients of Alzheimer's disease and those suffering from dementia.
The following is our list of requests...a bare minimum that we feel will improve the lot of many Nova Scotians.
1. That all staff having interaction of any kind with patients have training in how to deal with patients with Alzehiemer's Disease or Dementia. For example the 30 hour course that is available through the Alzehiemer's Society ... as the very least level of training acceptable.
2. That the wait list...wait time be reduced significantly. We know that there are 6000+ beds for long term care in the province and we know that there are over 1200 on a waiting list to receive a bed. That is as of October 9th. That is unacceptable. Most reasonably intelligent adults in this country realize that the population is aging, that dementia and Alzhiemer's are more prevelent in the elderly, and that there will be more demand for long term care in the immedately and foreseeable future. There are over 1200 families in crisis waiting for a safe, caring environment for their loved one. It is my understanding that there is currently only one individual in place to process applications for long term care beds. How can one individual do this on a timely basis? Maybe that is why it took from early June to early October for the application for Mr Williams to be admitted in a long term care facility to be processed and for him to be officially 'on the list'.
3.Home care support must be improved. Mr. Williams' widow was eligible for 40 hours of assistance each month to help with the home care of Mr Williams. That is almost an insult to a family that is dealing with the care of a loved one 24 hours each and every day. 10 hours a week really doesn't begin to address the problem.
4.The final aspect that demands immediate attention is the access to information and support services for the families. Yes there is currently a lot of information available, but when a family is struggling with the day to day business of living and caring for a loved one, they really don't have time to spend hours searching the internet or calling various agencies to see what services are available. A central clearing house of information (on the model of Cancer Care perhaps) needs to be established. A standard needs to be set and maintained.
These were, and continue to be, our requests.
Again, anyone reading this is asked to write a letter or email to the Premier of Nova Scotia or to the Health Minister asking for these four things to be put in place. One voice may not make a change, but all changes start with one voice.
Heath Minister
Department of Health
4th Floor, Joseph Howe Building
1690 Hollis Street
P.O. Box 488
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2R8
Phone: (902) 424-3377
Fax: (902) 424-0559
health.minister@gov.ns.ca
Premier Dexter Contact Information
Office of the Premier
7th Floor, One Government Place
1700 Granville Street
P.O. Box 726
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 2T3
Phone: (902) 424-6600
Fax: (902) 424-7648
premier@gov.ns.ca
The course of action should be simple:
1. Identify the problems
2. Look at alternative solutions
3. Implement the solutions
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