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The Citizen, 2005-05-05, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2005. Local woman in fight to save regional centre By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor When Shirley Turnbull was six her parents. Bill and Marie of Brussels, made a difficult decision. Born with Down’s Syndrome Shirley suffered from multiple disabilities and in 1958, theTurnbulls placed her in Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia, a move they felt would better serve her many special needs. Now. her parents are gone, Huronia is expected to close by the year 2008 and surviving family members are frantic for her future. In 1985, the government decided that it was in the best interest of the mentally disabled to be integrated into community. Huronia, along with Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Fall and Southwestern Regional Centre in Chatham are the last three of their kind in the province. While the current Minister of Community and Social Services Sandra Pupatello has met with concerned family members and assured them that previous integrations have been successful, Shirley’s sister Barb Fritz, of Brussels is not persuaded. “Things have changed since 1985. They need to go back and reassess this.” Psychologist Lyz Sayer, whose sister resides at Huronia, said the biggest difference now is that those who have gone into community living in previous years have been higher functioning and much younger. “They can adapt more easily.” However, she cautions there are many stories, even so, of those who didn’t. “There is a man in Huntsville who sits on the side of the road all summer and has nothing to do. When asked, he wants to go home to HRC where he had a social life, activities.” “Bobby Windover was a resident of HRC until 1992 and was then sent out to a group home. The first one was okay because he went with friends. But then they were moved around. The care diminished, he developed diabetes. There was a reduction in supervision and lower quality meals. He wandered the streets of Orillia summer and winter, was put hospital, died in a “And mounting ” For Shirley, said Fritz, to be moved from the home she has known for close to 50 years will assuredly be traumatic and could be tragic. Shirley is unable to talk, though she has learned some sign language at Huronia. She suffers from spinal problems that hindermobility. Respiratory problems often lead to pneumonia. Ear problems require special water plugs which must be worn even for showering. She is on medication for epileptic seizures and suffers from congenital heart disease. While Fritz is uncertain at this point how much her sister comprehends regarding the fact she may lose her home, she is certain it will be terrifying for her. When distressed, she says, Shirley will scratch herself. “The last time I visited her, her hands and arms were raw. They said it was because she had missed a hair appointment. I can’t imagine if a small change in schedule upset her this much, what is going to happen if they move her.” Sayer agrees that the change could be terribly traumatic. “The stress experienced by the developmentally disabled even with small changes in their lives is many, many times greater than that experienced by the most cautious of the able-bodied adult. As these people don’t understand why the changes happen, they get disoriented, anxious and eventually quite ill.” “Also,” she notes, “many of these residents have lived together for many years so it is like wrenching them out of their families. We wouldn’t do this to anyone in our society, so why can they do it to the most fragile of the population?” Shirley, said Fritz, has created her family at Huronia. “Sometimes when she’d be home for a visit, Dad would find her up in the middle of the night, crying and packing her bag. She wanted to go home.” Fritz also notes that her sister has every level of care imaginable available to her at the centre. There is an on-site pharmacy and dentist. There are kinesiology, audiology and speech pathology departments. Residents have access to assistive devices and wheelchair repair. There is an in-door pool and with its location on Lake Simcoe, offers an opportunity for activities. More importantly, Fritz Huronia offers constant medical and physical supervision her sister needs which community living may not. She’s not alone. Pauleen Kerkhof of Brussels worked in a regional Uncertain future Barb Fritz of Brussels, right, visited her sister Shirley Turnbull at Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia on Sept. 24, 2004 for Shirley’s 52nd birthday. The Centre, which has been home for Shirley for almost 50 years is scheduled for Closure. (Photo submitted) into palliative care in the quickly deteriorated and nursing home.” the stories just keep centre for 12 years. While she agrees that community living is indeed the best alternative for higher functioning developmentally disabled, for those with higher needs such as the people now living at Huronia, she has doubts. “When it comes to personal safety, some lower functioning people can't even bathe on their own. An epileptic for example, needs supervision and whether that would happen in­ community living, I don’t know.”. She recalled a developmentally, disabled man who lived in Brussels and often walked around dressed quite inappropriately for the weather conditions. “Was this a better arrangement for him? I don’t think so. Certainly there are those who should live in the community. But it’s not in the best interests of all of them. Huronia outdoor believes Sayer says the only way for community living to work for those currently residing at the regional centres is for them to be moved together to a large residence with 24- hour care, medical supervision and a staff that can provide for their greater physical, social and recreational needs. “But then there will be the ongoing fight to get funding. This whole area is in crisis in Ontario right Rush may mean price hike Continued from page 1 Plumbing and Heating submitted the low bid of just over $ 136,000. Not for the first time since the Good Places to Learn announcement was made in March, Baird-Jackson was again forced to address the possibility that the sudden rush of school upgrades could lead to an increase in prices for contractors and materials. Responding to a question from Central Kaastra, she admitted it’s still a concern, ministry has backed down from an original demand that all approved work be done as quickly as possible. Baird-Jackson also suggested the board has been quick off the mark in putting projects up for tender. “We expected to see higher prices Huron trustee Shelley but noted the education than we ended up seeing — 1 think, in part, because we were out to tender early,” the business superintendent said. And, in the case of South Huron, a decision was made to conduct a portion of the work while students are still attending classes — ahead of the traditional summer rush. That came after a suggestion from architectural consultant Terry Marklevitz that a credit be requested from the competing contractors, if the work above the school’s technical education wing could be carried out early. “The principal of the school was willing to entertain the idea, in part because it’s largely over the tech area, which is already noisy and can have some odours,” Baird-Jackson explained. South Huron trustee Randy Wagler wondered about the potential health effects of the roofing fumes, but Baird-Jackson reported Smith Peat Roofing has recently completed similar projects at nursing homes and hospitals — which had to be done while people occupied the buildings — without any problems. “A saving of $25,000, which is not insignificant, made us look at it quite closely,” the business superintendent said, referring to the credit offered by the Exeter-based contractor in its successful bid. Also approved at the April 26 meeting was a contract for electrical upgrades at Mitchell District High School, to be funded through the regular Facilities Renewal Grant. Culliton Brothers submitted the low bid of $88,489. However, those organized to the closure. am still being asked by people how things are going.” Recalling a day when she recently returned Shirley home after a visit, Fritz smiles at the memory of her sister’s obvious delight in being back. “As soon as we stopped the car, she went running in, and hugged everybody, her caregivers, her friends. She was home. It was where she wanted to be. “ Home for Shirley is the only world she knows at Huronia. It is one that offers her a variety of recreation and leisure activities, that provides amenities and services to enhance her life. It is the place where she has her friends. Anywhere else, said Fritz, “even living here with me, would be a lonely existence for her. She is so used to doing what she’s been doing and being with the people she knows.” Interestingly, according to Sayer, the government has put “considerable money” into upgrading the regional centres. “In the last eight years all the residences have been given serious facelifts so that they are now big, bright and well-equipped to deal with the aging, disabled population. For this reason, she, along with many others, feel that everyone would be better served if the facilities became sidebar) After closed integration into the community not work, then what, wonders Fritz. “There’s no going back.” With a letter campaign, petitions and a rally set for May 11, Huronia Helpers are determined to try and change the government’s mind that moving every developmentally disabled person from an institution­ based system to a community-based system will not necessarily promote inclusion, independence and choice. Change is never easy. For people like Shirley Turnbull it can be devastating. Looking at a picture of a beaming Shirley, as Huronia’s Miss Christmas 2002, for Fritz there’s only one real issue. “Nobody has told me one thing about this yet that will benefit Shirley.” Centres of Excellence, (see all, should the homes be to the residents and now, which is why we want this kept within government.” Fritz said that the government has promised individual plans which the families will be part of. who fight Huronia Helpers, feel that it may not be that simple. According to information from the group, the idea of an excellent placement in five years is unrealistic as there are five to seven-year waiting lists now. In a meeting in February, Huronia Helpers challenged Pupatello on several issues. Told of the long waiting lists, Pupatello said they were a result of people putting their relatives on the waiting list early. Her claim that previous experiences have gone smoothly and been successful was contradicted by the group, which told of deaths and questioned why no follow-up study had ever been done to determine success or failure of the moves so far. According to Sayer, the minister was not direct on the cost of the moves relative to keeping Huronia open. Since that meeting the Huronia Helpers have been .actively trying to reach all Huronia families. Fritz, who .as a retired RPN understands about quality of care and of life, has been speaking to many of them. “I haven’t run into anybody who wants their loved one moved.” She is also extemely grateful for the support she has received locally. “So many signed the petitions and I Wingham & District Hospital Board of Directors 2005 Call for Nominations The Wingham & District Hospital is calling for nominations of individuals who are interested in serving as a director on the board. Nominations for the following positions will be received by the secretary, Brenda Ritchie up to May 18, 2005. Elections will be held for: >-2 Directors in the Central Zone {Wingham, Blyth, East Wawanosh) Director in the Western Zone (Lucknow, Ashfield, Kinloss, West Wawanosh) >*1 Director at Large {a resident in the County of Huron or Bruce within a radius of 40 km. of the hospital. Term for the Directors are two years. Elections will be held at the Annual Meeting, June 16, 2005. r ■ I I I I I I I I I I I I I I i I I I I I I I lk< Nominations for the Board of Directors Wingham & District Hospital We wish to nominate_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _resident in the Zone of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, to serve as Director on the Wingham and District Hospital Board. Please check one: Nomination is for Zone Director ( ) (Nominee and Nominators must be residents in that Zone) Nominations is for Director-at-Large ( ) Nominated by: Seconded by: Date: Date: Notes: Nominator and Seconder must be members of the Wingham & District Hospital Corporation. Nominee shall not be an "Excluded Person" as defined by Wingham & District Hospital Bylaws. Nominee is requested to provide a brief personal summary that my be used as an introduction at the Annual Meeting.