HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1964-02-19, Page 10•THE 'LUCKNOW. SENTINEL., L' UCKNOW, ONTARIO
fey Publisher Interviews Rewe .Georgi
hiinnnn of e 'Bruce CountY�Hom�Committe�-.
'f
v
(Editor's . Note: The ':January
session of Bruce county council
heard a reportfrom George W.
Joynt, reeve, of Lucknow, as chair
Man of the .'County Home commit-
tee. It also heard:a brief from
George A. Newbold, also;of Luck -
now, on behalf of the, Associated
Nursing Homes ' Inc., Ontario, of
• which he is -vice-president, ' To give
the people ' of; : Bruce information.
,on 'this matter,- the following` . is
a Question'and Answer interview
by a Bruce publisher, : Clayton
Schaus , of Chesley, with . Mr,
Joynt.) •
. , 4 -First of all, Mr: Joynt, how
•long ' has Bruce County had. a
Home(or ha usedto be called
what at called
a . House of Refuge) ?
A -.:-By-law', No. 366.dated May
1898 was passed by Bruce County
Council calling tenders for con-
struction of : a House of Refuge.
• The tender accepted. was:. in the
amount of $16,440. Official 'open-
ing took : place. in. 1899.
Q -When was the, new' home
opened? And . what did" it'. cost?
A-Brucelea Haven was offic-
ially * opened ; by the Hon.'. ' Louis
Cecile, . Q.C., October : 4, 1961: Con-
• struction cost of , home, •$685,467;
Furnishings, : Equipment, e t c.,
124,317:23; Total -cost, $809,784.e.
23
* '*
Q—What are the comparative
arative
P •
figures;How `'Than people were
Y P... P
accommodated in' the old Home
and;: how many are: now ; in the.
new Home?
A: Thee former:House of Refuge
►ad;
overall accommodation for 43'
resideh ts` with average res'
an g i
Bence of 30 . Brucelea Haven . at.
the present time has: 92 residents.
ow about operating ,costs?
., 41�L o
What did they total last year, and
what revenue did the county have
to offset these costs? Do : these
figures include the debenture' costs
or 'are they 'separate?
A—Total operating and main-
tenance
g
tenance costs , for Brucelea Haven,
1963, ' $143,162.48. Revenue receiv-
ed -- Old age Pension cheques
.
F
.art to `Solcit' .:Old 'Age Pension, o. be admin
costs; $41,494:51. Net cost to Bruce public sympathy.
meat subsidy 70%, on operating oeuvre on their part
County for ()iterating . and Main ' * •`t
tenance e
,expenditures for Brucelea Q—The second question is re -
Haven, ' 1963, $17,561.12. . As you lated. to the above. It is claimed
realize the department paid 50% counties are quoting4�
bargain
on. the- entire • cost of Brucelea rates" • which do' not; include the
Haven. • ^ full cost of building and operat-
Bruce Count -Debenture issue Ing. "the County Home,- and there-
on home for 10 years, . $365,000:00. fore people •go to, the County
County Home .Reserve Fund .-Home who should be in. Nursing
ale to a
(sale of lots and:farm • stock ). ap,.: Homes, as they are"able pay
y
'home 39 - their way. How 'about that?. •
plied against. cost of $ .,
892.11.. Total interest p
A --Let us, stick' to the'County
payments
for 10 years, $113,190.00. under Question --Bruce County. •In
ordero answer this question, let
us look at certain factorsgovern-
Q—You , told, the County Coun-
cil, George, that the Home Com- ing the building, operation, and
maintenance of Brucelea Haven.
mince has no present intention of ,1. The Department . pays 50% , of
building an addition. Could' you os , of he new home anti
tell ' us, even roughly,; how the The , c t t
Bruce Home • compares in number 70% of the; cost Qf operation:..
.of""guests", withhpother counties? The resident . day rate ' is based
on straight' operating ., and . main -
such is thgeneral capacity ofThe De artment
such . 'homes? tenance costs. 3. p
of. Welfare. through .the Homes for
A—For the most part:.' County. a Aged Branch directs this sol,
homes. throughout the . 'province ;icy, — we as an appointed 'board
are Iarger than Brucelea Haven, by ' Bruce County 'Councildr follow
As , an' example, Huronview init. ,
Huron. County " has a bed. capac-
it of 209. In 1962, ' the ' cost.' Per resident'
Y : day was more, than . $5.55;, in 1963,
the cost per resident day was
Q -They tell us that the Bruce $4.55 ' In other words, since the
County Home`-. is , a ' pretty fine: home's inception in. 1961, as the
place. Have quite a few .:counties number; ofresidents increased,
built . new homes ; in recent 'years? the cost per resident day ;decrees-
A-,;Brucelea : Haven • is . one of ed. Let ` me remind you, and the
the finest homes in the province 'people of Bruce County that Bruce-
and one, we as citizens of Bruce. lea Haven has • the ' modern 'facili-
should :: be proud, of. Most Coun ties,.' that : most : Nursing:. Homes.
ties in Ontario have accepted'their lack. "Bed" care, and: "Special"
responsibilities by building' .this. ' care cases are n : the.. upward'
type of ' `New Home' in"order to trend,and it'is : 'in •this . respect
give proper care to° their senior ` that.rucelea can provide the : ut-
citizens. most.
Q—Reporters have a . habit,
Geong�asking
George,. of a lotq
of ues
tions, some of -which May be 'em-
barrassing,: so we come to" the
brief presented by „the. Associated
Nursing Homes So here ' goes: The
claim is made that, in. order . to
fill up County; Homes, people have
been ': solicited to go ;there: and
thus "deprive -Nursing ;Homes of
patients? What about ' this solic-
itation?.
A This charge of . 'soliciting' is
and incidentals, $84,106.85. 'Depart= pure 'popple, a 'straight. • man -
GIVE GENEROUSLY
to the
ASTER SEAL
o help such children as this child
Easter Seals Are Going
Out This Week
1.ucknow and. District Lions Club is sponsoring the
district campaign with an ;objective of $1,000,
because
Crippled Children Need Your H.
P•`
Gordon Montgomery; Chairman Gordon Fisher, Treat:
o
e County Home? Or'do: we
say: you have $10,000 and get
if
interest on it, we'll take you in,
but. t
, if you have. $25,000,.. we won
take you?
A ---During Brucelea �H a ve n 's
•p° residents:
'period of operation, 18;
have • paid the . County . in fullfo
their• care to December 31, 1963.
You have to consider, if it's wealth
you're . discussing, the . residents
that .were
admitted fitted wi
th 500-1500]
1
5
00
haven't been 'there long on' their
own., Others are. in a.different
dollar ' bracket. Of course I recall
the ,gentleman, that gave ; the . Nur
sing Home his savings, and then
was moved to Brucelea Haven.
the Department outrule`
When did . p
paying residents; that require the.I
special.. care thatonly a county
home can provide? h_ would sug-
gest that : any county. home ; must.
be; operating to near capacity, if
we, as a management board, are
to practice economy.
'• With :the home filled tonear
capacity, it has been: the •board's
decision to screen ` applicants and
accept- only, the most needy cases
.known, : not meaning dollars,, but
"care" :. instead. , This, together.
with a policy of sending ambula-
tory residents out for • care to
Bruce'•County residents when re-
q�
uired, • as • recommended by:
the Department, . should : alleviate
the situation for the time being.
Q—This could be a contentious
question, George, and you, •;can
skip -it if . you like, ' but does it
boil down •:to this: The Nursing.
Homes seem. to feel. that if people
have nettling, the ..county should
look after :them, but if they have
means (in addition • to the pen-
sion) the Nursing:, Homes want to
take :: them: and make . money; out
of it `Would it be fair to say that?
A --You hit the ..nail 'on the head..
Q -It is . all rather involved. The
OHSC. does not feel that it should.
pay - hospitals $16 to $20, for "old,
crocks" who could s.be looked .af-
ter in Nursing Homes . and' cost
them only $5 or. $6 a day. Does
this not throw business' to the
nursing*;homes'
A—Since 4'01d Crocks";. is Used
as ' a figure of `speech, .; let's put.,
our cards on the table..In the first
place OHSC only licences a nur-
sing, tome,
ur-sing,home, where their survey'
calls for one to be -licenced, and
this is usually in a municipality,
where there is a hospital..
I recall accompanying my friend,
John W. Hanna, member of 'Pro.
vincial Legislature' for the riding
of Huron -Bruce, thrice to OHSC,
• once recently • The mission: To
secure a licence. under OHSC for
Pinecrest Nursing Home, • operated
by George Newbold Request:
Turned. down. • Reason: Home..not
required ''.by OHSC: /Remarks: If
John . , W. ; 'Hanna couldn't get it
licenced ' . Who; in- H- - - :could??
Q Pias there been a change of
PoA:Noy As far since? asI'm concern
Y
ed, • I ' 'feel OHSC. wants to- get
out • of the business of ''licencing
homes (for Economy Sake). -
Example=- . •
Take ,Brucelea Haven's resident
rate 1963, $4.55, Department's,'
share ' 70%, $3,18. Consequently
OHSC can keep 2ppersons in'
Brucelea Haven, for the cost of
care of ,„one in a nursing home
Then consider Huronview cost
"Wednesday, FEBRUARY i1, '1164 .
*:.
, �argument.:is. be,'
The same
in4—The
used in Huron county, where
a Nursing Home operator
:ssaid
to have claimed people would,fill
up the .County Home:' 'if ; the rate
is .. only '$3.75 a . day, and thus in--
digent people , could not gain ad-
mittance. 'Are • we in a comet.;
etive situation to attract ;' older
people?
A -Nuts!"; . Refer tit : my press
release—County, Home, 1969:' Quote
"The Department of Welfare, ap.':
proached the Counties, and rec•
ommended that they ;;take . such
steps, as accepting responsibility
forthe 'care oftheir :chronic,. and
senile a persons that. were' over-'
crowding the hospitals. They were
told this• number' had increased
approximately 70% in • the past 15
years due to modern medicines.
Bruce County accepted:. its respon '
sibility. Did the department ap-
proach • "Nursing Homes?" •
4—If youranswers above have
not included *the' figures, have you.
any idea of . the comparative rates
charged in County Homes as ag-
ainst Nursing, Homes? Is it .true
that hospitals get about $10 a
day .for "chronic—patients—*and, per-
haps $19 for active -treatment cas-
es? . Do Nursing Homes :accept
chronic or bed -ridden ; patients?'
What do i' they charge per day?
Some . of them 'get, a ,grant' froni
the Hospital Services' Commission.
Is this in addition to their reg-
ular • `rates? - '
A In 'some areas•'•rates, are
comparablein others, Nursing
.Homes are higher.' There are
chronic hospitals where the rates
..are lower.' than this amount. Nur-
sing Homes licensed by OHSC,
collect
only a rate approved by
the Commission. Patients must be
registered tinder OHSC plan. 011
SC must , approve a patient's re-
moval. froii)_,a_hospital:..<:to a_
ensed nursing home, for complete
convalescence. •
'Q --It all boils down to 'a mat •
ter of service, does -it not? When
Houses : of Refuge were first es-
tablished, it` was a matter of pure
charity. The people .had no Means'
and the county looked after them.,
When Old Age .Pensions were es-
tablished, the county took: most,
or all of ;the pension for the
people it kept in homes.
A—Under. the 'Old, Age Pension
Plan, each resident was allowed
15% subsistence allowance, de-
ducted from
his or her chequer.
my `r
*.• -
'4—Where does one draiv the
line, George?. Must people be ab-
solutely' penniless, except for • the
at $3.75,
Q--L,et us ,,put it another way.
Bruce :county spent, say,
-00000 on its new County Home
If there were: not enough--indigent-
patients to fill -it- (that is, besides
the • pension) would the county be
justified! in taking in people who
could pay their way, or the big
ger part of it, especially if they
thought the Coutny° Horne was,
new and provided better accom-
modation than nursing homes?
A --Don't stretch that dollar
sign. This is, exactly the -trend:
For persons who • require Bed.
'
Care,.. and other Special Carethat
'
only the County. .Home can . pro-
vide.
r .*
Q --You would .want to be com-
pletely fair in this matter, George,
and sowould the press of Bruce :.
out
d.
e
e that
.
county. W you a�'
Nursing Homes have provided a'
wonderful service for ' older peo-
ple who."ha,hno.. one to ..look. after •
them? • .
A --For the person who wishea
care in a nursing •.home; , andq pay
their own way, the ..same serves
a .very useful' purpose.
Q --Actually, when . all is ' said
and done, . is there any need for
controversy, or disputation? . Hos
pitals, nursing homes,and county
Homes, • all have their place, do
they not? •
A -You are exactly correct.
QFinally,.. George,'we want Id
thank you for taking the trouble
to ' 'answer these questions, and
we hope ,the people of Bruce Coun-
ty find them interesting. Is .there
any other , brief : comment you
would care to make. • in 'closing?
A --It has been my pleasure oto.
have 'this interview With you, and:.
trust that : the findings ofthis
interview will 'not''. only prove en-
lightening' and liformative to the.
people 'of Bruce County, but will
serve as . • a guide ; in ; this . "Con-
tentious Issue of • County :' Home
versus Nursing *Homes.
Finally, let us. sum .up what .has:
already been pointed out since one
publisher in Bruce < wonders: ',; Are
we. paying through !the nose to
keep Brucelea : operating, in ' re-:
spect to the following costs T.
operating, maintenance, debenture
principal and interest,, deprecia'
tion ' and what have you.
- : Well, let's find out. Bring in
your .accountants.
Bruce County Assessment 1963,
$53,672,36$. In • other 'words, '1 mil'.
raises .$53,672.00.. -
Refer ; to • Question No. 4.:
Operating and Maintenance costs
for Brucelea. Haven 1963 (Nett,,
$17,561.12. Debenture on Brucelea:.
Haven; 10 years. $365,000,00. Total
interest Payments, 10 years,
$113,190:00. -Total yearly payments
(interest and principal) '.$47,819
00, Total 'cost'operating, main-
tenance, debenture, interest, etc.,
$65,380.12. ; • •
Total , cost in terms of mill rate.; ;
Operating and Maintenance 1963,
305'. . Debenture' Principal and ,In-
terest, .1963,'.:.89. Approximately 11' •
mills. , • .
When the Home is paid off, de-
preciation > charges • will be .:pea-
nuts as far es affecting county
mill rate• increase.
Finally, let us, as citizens of
Bruce, be proud' that we have ' a
County Home, the. calibre of;
Brucelea 'Haven, and ' honour our •
responsibilities to those senior cit
izens who worked so hard to
make this banner county a ,county
Worthwhile.
CLASS x...n.,il..�T
:MOTOR: MECHANIC
WANTED
Good •working conditions
Top wages ••
Steady .Employment, can commence at : once
.SHORTy's
C .1N''a►N, ONT”: R.YO .:�...' Phone 482.7661
�ir,ti..� ..:lw,�,�wNi��H.i,.;,.iii►�,;u.:i,.4,s..,�,,i,;,�H..o..►s-b:.i�,
1
W94
. 'Sp'
latus
Bruc
suPp
utiliz
in '•p..
(1
Oiy
brow
ly b)
is th
Host
shout
icp't
is •a
Mani
furth
`am
.; comet
•
r.
1
•
.1
• T
ti
it
•
9.
• tat