Goderich Signal Star, 2017-03-01, Page 3Wednesday, March 1, 2017 • Signal Star 3
Four hospice beds announced for Central Huron
Justine Alkema
Postmedia Network
Last week's long-awaited
hospice -bed -location deci-
sion from the South West
LIHN came was not a sur-
prise, but it did bring mixed
reactions.
At a board meeting in
Tavistock Tuesday after-
noon, the South West LIIIN
board gave final approval for
six hospice beds in Stratford
and four hospice beds in
Clinton. The LHIN had iden-
tified Perth and Huron as
priorities due to their lack of
access to residential hospice
care.
In Stratford, the reaction
to the announcement was
positive.
There has been a Strat-
ford
Perth Residential Hospice
steering committee in the
city that had been in talks
with the LIHN since as
early as 2014. That group
formed following a Strat-
ford Rotary Club public
meeting to measure inter-
est in building a residential
hospice. The response was
overwhelming. The com-
mittee was created and has
been working tirelessly ever
since.
Most disappointed were
those at the helm of Jessica's
House, a residential hospice
in Exeter, which has not yet
been built but is also in the
works. Jessica's House is
named for Jessica Hamather,
a 22 -year-old woman who
died a year ago. The commu-
nity in South Huron has ral-
lied around that initiative
with great vigour and has
already raised almost S2
million.
The group advocated to
receive funding but
expressed feeling ignored by
the decision makers.
The group will carry on
with its plans without fund-
ing with the hopes that
eventually the money will
be found. Jessica's House
steering committee mem-
ber Pat O'Rourke optimisti-
cally pointed out that most
hospice projects aren't
funded when they begin
but get funding along the
way.
That means Central Huron
is in a unique situation.
While four beds have been
designated for the area due
to its centrality, there is no
group rallying behind the
cause that can rival the
efforts of the committees in
Stratford and Exeter.
The government pro-
vides no capital funding
for residential hospices, so
all the funds to purchase
the land and build and fur-
nish the hospice must be
raised locally. Also, the
LIHN will only cover
S105,000 per bed annually,
leaving the community to
raise the rest: $105,000 is
only 60 to 80 per cent of
the average annual operat-
ing costs.
Even with the momentum
in Stratford and Exeter, both
groups have expressed that
the deadline is tight; the
LIHN ,requires the hospices
be open by March 2018.
Even though the Stratford
steering committee has
been planning for several
years, Stratford Perth Resi-
dential Hospice committee
,co-chair Andy Werner said,
"It's imperative the entire
project be allowed to move
forward to meet the time-
lines (...) It will be a signifi-
cant challenge to open by
March 2018, but Stratford
Perth is up for the
challenge."
"I do agree with beds
being located centrally in
Iluron County. If it's for all
people in Huron County,
(so) it makes sense it's
located centrally," Central
Huron Mayor, Jim Ginn said.
"I do have concerns with
operating shortfalls. There's
a lot of money that needs to
be raised on an annual basis
for operating (costs). I don't
think Central Huron or
Huron County is prepared to
fund that shortfall. It's a
health care issue and that is
a provincial responsibility.
On the other hand, it's good
news. There will be some
jobs from it, though not huge
by any means.
"I haven't heard of any
group that is specifically
raising funds."
He noted they have been
assured that, in other munic-
ipalities, hospices tend to get
donations once they are up
and running.
However as for current
funds, he said, "I've heard
there may be some money,
but whatever it is, it's fairly
minimal at this point."
-With files from the Strat-
ford Beacon Herald and
Lakeshore Advance
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