AB- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 21, 1996 Seniors oppose cuts warning RADELET & COMPANY Barristers & Solicitors, Vancouver, B.C. COMPANIES « TRUSTS * TAX DISPUTES Dear Sir: We, the tenants of the Willows Scaiors’ Complex, wish to express our deep concem over the planned closure of beds at Mills Memorial Hospital. We are concerned about patients being released from the hospital before they are physically able to care for them- selves, They go home to their apartments and have no one lo care for them or sce to their needs. The management of this complex has felt compelled to provide assistance to them until home support. of nurses can be arranged, which can take two days or more. Some tenants, who require 24 hours per day care, are currenlly awaiting available space at Terraceview or a similar residence elsewhere in B.C. Terraceview is full to capacily with a lenglby waiting list. We subinit that some of the extra beds which are current- ly idle can be used as an extended care unit. This is cur- rently being done in the Comox/Campbel] River arca,. We do nol believe that the cost/ratio structure would be ex- orbitant, The reduction of home care services can prove to be dif- ficult for thase who are physically handicapped or dis- abled. The cost of care in Vancouver is prohibitive to those travelling from Terrace. Airfares, accommodatians, meals and taxi fare can have a devastating financial effect on those with a fixed or low income. We oppose reference-based pricing for medication as a means of reducing health care costs; we believe that other solutions could be found through consultation with bealth care professionals and consumers. Delays in receiving a prescribed medication not on the prescribed list is a common occurrence. It makes no sense that an individual with a severe asthma condition has to pay a full cost of renewing the medication before the allo- cated time due to a higher frequency of allacks (approxi- MLA is urged to protect jobs cems through our eyes, a CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag matcly $70) Are we seeing the development of two-tiered medica! system? Some have said that doctors will not relocate to other arcas duc to their investments in the new medical centre. While, this may influence any decision they make about relocating, we do-nol concur that this will prevent a move. We deeply a statement made to our group by a local MLA thal our hospital was being used as a hotel. We doubl that pationts under medical care would consider a. hospital stay the same as a holiday at a resort hotel, Our hats go off tothe medical profession — especially to those who work at Mills Memorial Hospital. Now, if only the Ministry of Health would view our con- Rod Falconer, President, Willows Tenants Association issued James W, Radelet Phone 604-689-0878 + Fax 604-689-1386 Dear Sir: Some norlhwest businesses have paid an out- side publishing company lo advertise ina seniors’ com- munily services directory. -This directory has not been authorized by any Ter- tace seniors’ organization, Any local business receiv- ing phone calls or Ictters re- questing the business to ad- verlise“ in’ such~a~ directory on ‘behalf of seniors should enquire into the publisher. Aileen Frank, (co-op) TERRACE CO-OP Family Fashions Check out our NEW SPRING CRAFT SUPPLIES arriving daily. We also have our Spring Selection of Dried Flowers in a variety of colours. Terrace, B.C. 4817 Greig Ave., Terrace © 635-6347 SAFEWAY FOOD & DRUG BAKERY | An open letter to; Helmut Giesbrecht, — T, Ou —_ Fresh i Beef Standing MLA, Skeena i ry ur : - foy Ve — | FRENCH or | Mushrooms § ’ , ‘ Rib Steak Ten nursing employees at the Bulkley Valley District | SOU RDOUGH - * Produc! of Cando, eo] Napanee © Fresh. Hospital in Smithers have received displacement notices as * Cello Wrapped. ® Bone-tn, part of acute care downsizing in the northwest. . © LIMIT OF 1. Similar exercises at the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital 200 g & 8.55 kg/Ib and at Mills Memorial in Terrace will bring the total num- ber of nursing displacements in the north west to approxi- mately 50 health care professionals, Should there be no renewal of the employment security agrecricnt before its expiry on March 30, that’s 50 trained health care workers no longer paying taxes, who will be putting a great deal more pressure on our beleaguered so- cial assistance programs and who will not be available to provide care for an increasingly senior population. These culbacks, part of a province-wide reduction, come ala time when the demands on our health care system are ‘ificreasing, when the need for qualified and dedicated care givers has never been higher. They also come at a lime when some doctors, medical supply companies and pharmaceutical producers are Jaun- ching a full-scale attack on the B.C. Medicare Protection Act which entrenches the principles of universality, portability, accessibility, comprchensiveness and public administration. Just when we need it most, one of the best health care systems in the world is seriously threatened by those who would increase profit margins at the expense of the sick, the elderly and those who care for them. And those same entrepreneurs, among olhers, are aided and abetted by governments who will provide them with corporale tax breaks and subsidies to the tune of $7.2 bil- lion by 1997-98, B.C.’s health care employces have done their part. For their sake, and the hundreds of thousands of B,C, residents who depend upon them, I urge you and your caucus col- leagues to renew and expand the Employment Security Agrcenient. cm R. Lyon Shervill, RN, Smithers, B.C. “We are happy to serve you ... better” “Your Terrace & District Credit Union als OPEN: Friday evenings ‘till 1 00 p.m. and Seturday morning Dial 635- 0114 vie FOR MEMBEALINK ACCESS to your Acount Informalicn and much more ‘Terrace & District CREDIT UNION 4650 Lazelle Ave., Terrace Ph. 635-7282 We belong to you. Serving Members And Their Families The Credit Union advantagal We are a profit sharing, member owned institution... ... We Belang To You Honey Ham © Vacuum Parked Only. © from the Dali. 100g Fresh Kiwi Fruit * Produclal USA. Each Bel-Air Vegetables ® Italian Mixed, Oriental, Bovarion, California oF Winter. ® frogen. T kg Bag Cheez Whiz # Process Cheese Food, © Assorlad vavietigs, Kraft 500g Red Rose Tea Bags @ Oronge Pekos. 160’s RED ROSE Wn) Seeman RED ROBE Ready To Serve Fruit Drinks © Assorted variellas. © lueerne, 2 Litre ] Garlic Bread + from the Bakery, 4509 Whole Kernel Corn © 01 Pons. © Del Monte. 341/398 mlb @ ® Regular or light 132g Et Tu Caesar Salad Kit * Product af Concda. © Assorted varialies. Laundry Detergent @ Cheer Ultra © Regulor or wilh Celourguord Bleach, 6L Ultra Kellogg’s Corn Flakes ® Breakfast Cered. Campbell's Soup * Cream P Mushroom. 149 284 mL for