The Wingham Advance-Times, 1976-04-15, Page 11THE'' ADVillICE -TIMES
Where are they to go?
The controversy and indecision which
has clouded the future of hospitals in Huron
County for many weeks has brought into
focus a particular problem which has con-
cerned hospital officials for years. We do not
have adequate facilities for long -stay pa-
tients.
Dr. Frank Mills, the medical officer of
health for Huron, recently referred to the
presence of too many patients in our active
treatment hospitals, those who have been in
care for periods considerably in excess of the
provinci4l average. Hospitals across the
province, including those in Huron, have
been told repeatedly that the average length
of stay in hospital should not exceed 7.5 days,
or thereabouts. Dr. Mills correctly points out
that more than 50 per cent of the patients in
Huron's hospitals remain for periods of up to
15 days and some much longer.
That statement, however, does not an-
swer the question of what to do with the long -
stay patients if they are forced out of the
hospitals. As far as we can ascertain the
nursing homes in the county are filled to
capacity, and there is a long waiting list at
Huronview. Neither the family physician nor
the hospital administrator are willing to
order an elderly patient out into the cold if
there is no facility which will accept respon-
sibility.
The average age of residents in Huron is
higher than in the larger urban centres. So-
ciety has changed with the passinwears and
the elderly have, in many ways, become vic-
tims of that change. Gone are the days when
families lived in spacious homes where the
elderly could be looked after by their chil-
dren. Many housewives are working so there
is no one in the house to `care for a feeble or
bed -ridden parent.
We do have some alternative services.
The Victorian Order of Nurses and the Home
Care Nursing program are both valuable
aids in the reduction of hospital populations,
but these programs have to operate on the
assumption that a patient who is sent home
from the hospital will not be alone in his or
her residence.
Few of us are denying the urgent need to
control and even reduce health care costs,
but the problem posed by the long -stay pa-
tient points very clearly to an equally urgent
need to provide'decent and reliable facilities
for those members of our society who can no
longer care for themselves. It is wonderful to
live in a country which provides day care
centres, beautiful schools, publicly -financed
swimming pools, tax -supported recreation
programs, public libraries, million dollar
sports complexes, low-cost senior citizens'
housing and social centres—but there is
something sadly missing when,,we cannot
give adequate care to those who have no one
at home to look after them when they be-
come ill.
1
A page of editorial opinion
Thursday, April 15
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40 1—aw-
ii0ow-1
New ElOoks
in the Library
I%e Gambltaa Man by Catherine
Cookson
Rory Connor always had the
luck of a gambling man and at
the age of 23 could be reckoned to
have done well enough for an
ordinary working lad but thea
Rory wasn't ordinary. Soon he
was to marry Janie, the girl from
the cottage next door, and he also
meant to help his younger broth-
er. He feared nobody; not even
the slum landlord who employed
him to collect rents and who Uvgd
in style with his well-educated
daughter. But the luck of a gam-
bling mangoes both ways.
Against Our Will; Men, Went
and Rape by Susan Brownmiller
This is a brilliant and explosive
study of a subject that has never
before been treated in depth.
Against Our Will is the definitive
work on all aspects of rape from
biblical times to the present. Su-
san BrowninWer concludes that
"the threat, use and cultural ac-
ceptance of sexual force is a per-
vasive process of intimidation
that affects all women'; , whether
or not they have been actual vic-
tims of violence. Her inquiry also
includes the brutal purpose of
homosexual rape in prison and
the sexual molestation bf chil-
dren.
Stepping Stones by Jamie Brown
,�.,.,.
- .... s is the first book in a trilogy
. �•+ '';i:ii>ii r' <;a -v _.:rr r a�tVaC�.w that chronicles the rise and fall of
We d o aet carred away::::::::: l _.
n .. ::::afkt:;v:;;;....... :,. "f.K.. `<v '.:'-r>. ^a1►,...r - -- --- - -...- a Canadian familv's fnrl.mae
through three generations. In this
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Within recent months there have been : z:»>;>: ... .. ..first novel, we hear the story of
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i
gong on in Exeter at the present time. "' "' """"" " John Angus Moncrieff, the patri-
several occasions on which residents in this cc g ,
area have become concerned with the pos- It does not necessarily follow that just I feel terrible — think I m coming down with the people flu. arch of the family. Despite his
sible destruction of older buildings in our because a building is 80 or 100 yeah old it grim beginnings on a poor
should be preserved for future generations. Prairie farm in 1880, Moncrieff
towns. The growing membership of the
Huron County branch of the Architectural Some of these buildings are not only worn out eventually achieves fortune
Conservancy indicates new interest in the physicaily, but they are and always have power and social prestige in the
preservation of structures considered to been architectural monstrosities. We can'i'ng southern Ontario town of
have a worthwhile historical background. well recall a controversy in Wingham some
Shrewsbury.
All of this is just great. Canadians are Years ago when it was learned that two blue to
Edl'*t,or
late in awakening to a sense of their own his- spruce trees in it
of the town hall might Le'tter-s My Years With Louis St. Laurent;
tory and far too much of what was truly have to be removed. The late Dr. McKibbon a political memoir by J. Pickers -
worth preserving has already been lost. addressed a brief note to this newspaper's Editor, taininent to the general public and, unfor- experienced and not, in amateur pickersgill relates how "Mac -
editor 9 Y problems there are "
gin
However, some of the conservancy people editor which simply said, "Let's leave the Advance -Times, unfit television programs, show- tuals a , well-meaning indind theatre. We want to extend our kenzie King handed me on to St.
lose sight of the main objective and scream trees and tear down the town hall." Dear Sir: ing violence and influencing duals and groups suddenly found heartiest welcome to everyone Laurent with the rest of the furru-
blue murder whenever an old building is to BY all means we should be very reluc- Premier Bill Davis seems to, many people. themselves embarrassed by posi- -interested in little Theatre in tore" in a fascinating book which
tant to demolish those buildings which are ink that hospital and medical . .These are only a few Qf. the tions taken and statements made Wingham and surrounding area, portrays Lauretlt,s leader -
Not
ue removed—regardless of its esthetic van y based on the limited information and urge that all interested
ue. examples of the best forms of construction in Cflt'e are great factors in the cost; `problems that lead to sickness g �- p. There is an account of the
Not so long ago there was a sudden out- the early years of our communities, but old, o inflation, so he decided that and accidents, besides speeding which -had been made available sons attend our , organizational changing
cr when the old town hall in Mount Forest is not necessarily ,beautiful. They made accidents on the raod caused by traffic on the roads, that lead to earlier from other sources. meeting Monday, April 19th. The g g parliamentary and
y I am certain that I am not alone production to be resented in electoral fortunes of the Liberal
some bad mistakes in the old days too, you speeders might be the greatest the need for health care services. P p party ng what went wrong
was slated for demolition. -The same thing is y is despairing of the political June is a three -act play, written rt including ong
know. factor in the need for hospital and Until these problems are dealt in the pipeline debate. All in all it
-medical care. with the health care costs are o- manoeuvrings and blame -shift- by Harry J. Boyle.
g offers the reader a history of Ca -
So he took action and lowered ing to continue to rise. Do the ing tactics so blatantly evident in We need actors, actresses and radian political life from 1941 to
the speed limit and enforced the people of the areas that have the current hospital affair. It is stage hands ... all of which play
articularly loathsome to witness a very important role in getting fthat is interesting as well as
pinformative. wearing of seat belts—as if this been paying the taxes to keep the informative.
was the only cause of accidents government going, and have citizens of our county being the production "off the ground".
on the roads; also for the need of worked so hard for what they now turned on one another by those If you are interested but unable
hospital and medical care. He have, not have a good reason to who have abandoned their to attend our first meeting
Just a i t i n a e e o r a t e again took action and appointed fight back? responsibilities. 'Monday, April 19th, please con -
Health Minister Frank Miller to Had Health Minister Frank- Yours sincerely, tact, after 5 p.m. Judie Atkin, 357-
proceed with the closing of hos- Miller taken a serious heart at`4, Jack Kopas 1253 or Sandra Lee, 357-1383. Waterloo U. W1�1
Publishers of weekly community news- lease did carry some interesting information pitals in some areas and the tack near one of these hospitals Come one, come all. Make this offer course at
papers across the province were very in about communit news a ors. "Week) reduction of beds in other areas. he is t the best community effort ever!
Y newspapers. Y tying to close and had to be LITTLE THEATRE y
terested when they came upon a recent story journalism isn't the old-fashioned, black This action seems to be mainly in taken a greater distance and had NEEDS PEOPLE Yours very truly, . Regional Centre
in the dailies. Datelined Ottawa and credited armband, green eyeshade sort of thing any- Liberal areas, at the same time died on the way, could Premier (Miss) Judie Atkin
to Canadian Press wire service, the story more," said Barker. "Com uterized s s- building new hospitals in their Davis have explained (the Advance Times (Miss) Sandra Lee
P Y p Residents of the Western On -
carried an interview with the newly -elected tems are replacing pastepots and growingown (Progressive Conservative) reason) satisfactorily to Mr. Wingham, Ontario
tario area will be afforded a new
president of the Ontario Weekly Newspaper revenues permit publishers to hire better areas. Miller's wife and family? Or Dear Sir: opportunity to broaden their
Association, Gerry Barker of Bradford. educated staff to produce a more sophistical- Closing of hospital beds and would he just say, "Sorry Mrs. We would like to use this On January 1, 1970, Yellowknife knowledge of modern history
The story opened with the words, edroduct." reducing staff would seem like a Miller but nothing could be done column in your paper to reach . becaMe the first city in the
P soon. Commencing Monday, May
"Weekly newspapers, changing with the In a recent survey, conducted by Clyde proper and adequate action if the to save your husband. We know many people, both young and old, Northwest Territories. _ 3, and continuing each Mohday
times, are growing at twice the rate of McDonald Inc., an internationally known need for this service was not he can be replaced as health evening through to the end of July
dailies in Ontario. In the last ten years and totally independent public analysis firm, gent for the citizens affected. minister for the province, but -;t a second year university course
It has been proven that the that does not replace him in his:, entitled "Twentieth Century
readership of Ontario's 300 dailies has in- it was learned that in the counties of Huron
creased 240 per cent." closing of hospitals in some areas family." t; Europe" will be offered at the
and Perth more than 138 per cent of homes will endanger the lives of citizens Think back to the time when an "k
The reporter, the typist and the proof- receive a local community newspaper, com- in those places, to the extent that assassin of President John Mid -western Regional Centre, n
reader who handled that story sure fixed us, pared with slightly over 50 per cent for the in some cases the patient would Kennedy in the sights of his rifle' ). fewmilesof Palmerston on
but good. It wasn't the dailies that grew by dailies, a concentration of audience which is not survive if he had to be moved and pulled the trigger. The presi- .l,; 23.
The Advance Times talked
240 per cent, it was the weeklies—and the simply not matched by any other medium. a greater distance to a hospital dent died on an operating table in ' f i + with Dr. Robert Wynne who will
whole point of the story was lost in that one Most of the remaining 12 per cent are quite that had not been closed. Does a nearby hospital. If the same conduct the lectures as an off -
probably error. probably borrowing the local paper from our government have a right to thinghappento Premier Davis r
However, the balance of the news re their neighbors. take this sort of action into their in e of he areas where hos- campus course for the University
of Waterloo. Ur. Wynne said that
own hands?pitals have been closed and heyt, the course, which, on completion
It seems that each hospital has had to be taken several miles 4 -.f will constitute a half -credit in
been operating at full capacity farther away, would he survive? F university honors history studies,
and most of the staff in these hos- Premier Davis, just think of the t f will be open to both students
pitals are already working above lives which might be saved by? working toward degrees, as well
ry normal duties to save on the hos- keeping these hospitals open. ` as to the general public.
Needguaranteed mileage y pita] budget. Should these hospi- Perhaps by taking a little � ,< Students will be charged,- a
tals and beds be closed and the better care of ourselves and nominal fee for the course, but
It is not uncommon to read that one of only to safety factors. patients be transferred to other avoiding the need for doctors and " /,�;i those who are taking the lectures
the Big Three car manufacturers has been The automobile has long since rated as a hospitals? Where are they going health care services we could + j simply for the interest and know -
forced to recall 50 or 100 thousand�
after discovery of a structural fault ehicles status symbol in our foolishly conceited soci- to find room for them? And if save many dollars. Perhaps we �' • ledge they can gain, will be ad-
weak- ety. Thus it became absolutely necessary for they do, does the government ex- could cut ten per cent off all milted free.
Hess. Can you think of one good reason why any man who wanted to maintain a repots pest these hospital workers to prices and wages as another way w �" The sessions will run approxi -
the auto manufacturers should not be forced tion for success that he should drive his car take on extra duties with no of saving money. mately three hours each Monday
to do the same thing when a car or truck falls no more than two years. And thus, also, it further pay? And when the nurs- Perhaps, too, if the government evening, the first two hours de -
miserably short of expected mileage -per became less important to demand and get a ing staff hoes not feel they can would sweep their own doorstep voted to lecture time and the
gallon performance, machine that would survive for five years. If handle that they have no choice cleaner the rest of the people in third hour to a seminar session in
A dozen times a day we are told about the mileage wasn't too good there was al- but to stay at home and let the the province would follow their which students will be permitted
the impending fuel shortage, and the high ways the consolation that the next car was ones who do report for work take example. to ask questions pertinent to the
price of gasoline is a fact that every car only 20 months away—so why fret? on the extra duties with no fur- Yours sincerely, subject.
owner lives with every time he fills the lank. Those days are gone, dearie. The mount mer pay. Lloyd Walker A Many adults who have been out
Does he not, then, have a reasonable right to ing ,,rice of gasoline, not to mention ex If the government wants to of formal studies for e � period of
redress if the mini car he has purchased tortioner's prices for the machines them.- save money on health care, would years will find this a particularlyit not stand to reason theyshould
interesting course, cove; ing, as it
gives him only 20 miles to the gallon when it selves, indicates that we should scream our start to work on finding out why NEIGHBOR ,- fi does, the period prior to the First
Should be 28 or 30. Surely a guarantee of way right to the president's office when a car so many people need so much ex- AGAINST NEIGHBOR
rI'nileage performance should rank second fails to give decent road performance. pensive health care and try toWorld war, that war itself and its
prevent it to a greater extent than 195 Minnie Street, aftermath, evolving into the rise
loweringthe s Wingham, OR" ario. of Hitler and the second world
THE WINGHAM ADVANCE -TIMES wearing peed limit and g
seat belts on the road. April 11, 1976. 1976. conflict.
An information night was he''
Does the government think. The Editor, at the Palmerston Centre �.-
Published at Wingham. Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited there are many other reasons for Winghim Advance Times, y. Monday of this wtek. Th ww -
Barry Wenger, President Robert O. Wenger. Secretary -Treasurer health care costs, such as the Wingham, Ontario missed that evening may atter '
misuse of alcohol, misuse of sex, Dem' Mr. Editor:
misuse of drugs, food unfit for The Wingham � District Hos- at the opening night on May.
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations MRS. JESSIE HAYDEN celebrated her 99th birthday with
human consumption, working Ptial Board is to be commended
ember — Canadian Community Newspapers Assoc. Ontario Weekly Newspapers Assoc. problems, immature parents try- for making public the reasons for friends at the Brookhaven Nursing Home. Born in Fergus, For general information at>„ut
ing to raise families, adults who its stand regarding the recently Ontario in 1877, she has spent the last 66 years in the arthritis and the other rheumatic
bscription $10.00 per year. Six months $5.25 To United States $20.00 do not communicate with their announced closing of the hospital Wingham area. Staff and friends of Mrs. Hayden held a diseases contact your nearest
children or do not take time for in Clinton. Much of the infor- birthday party for her at the nursing home on March 17. Her Canadian Arthritis and Rheum:;
Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 Return postage guaranteed their problems. There are enter- mation disclosed was not known actual birthdav falls on March 28. tism Society
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