HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-01-24, Page 3THE HORON
EXPOSITOR, JANUARY 24.1990'`'.. 3A
Victorian Order
• In many cases, the worst part about fall-
ing ill is the prospect of an extended stay
in the hospital. Although the staff does
their utmostto put their patients at ease,
there's no doubt that they would much
rather be recuperating or receiving care at
home, surrounded by friends and family.
With the help of the Victorian Order of
Nurses, this is a very real possibility for
many people.
The Victorian Order of Nurses is
celebrating their 19th year of service in
Huron County. The V.O.N. was originally
established in Canada in 1897 and has been
in operation in neighbouring Perth County
since 1908, but it wasn't until 1971 that an
effort was made to get a home care
branch of the organization off of the
ground in Huron. At that time Betty Card-
no, of Seaforth, put the wheels in motion
and the Stratford office became known as
the Perth -Huron Branch, with satellite of-
fices established in Clinton and Listowel.
Jan Moore of Seaforth jumped at the op-
portunity to work for the V.O.N. and put
in her application as soon as the Clinton
office was established. A Registered Nurse
and a graduate of the three-year nursing
program at Victoria Hospital in London,
Jan worked for the Victorian Order of
Nurses from 1971 to 1973 before taking
time off to raise her family. She went back
to work for them in 1980 and has been
there since, now as Senior Nurse in the
Clinton office. She works with two other
full-time nurses and five relief nurses,
covering a territory that stretches from
Seaforth to Zurich, Exeter, St. Joseph's
and the far side of Clinton.
"That's' a lot of driving," she admits
with a laugh.
"There are some days when I wish I
could be going to work and sitting in a
building," she adds, noting the wintry
weather and testy driving conditions of
late.
"And it's not like London, where you
could do a full day's work between two
apartment buildings.
As a caregiver with the V.O.N., Mrs.
Moore visits about six patients per day as
weil as overseeing the operations of the
Clinton branch office. She notes that the
majority of the homecare patients that the
V.O.N. visit are over a 1, many of them be-
ing chronically ill or having had operations
and requiring assistance with health care
and medication.
"Whenever we get a call that there's a
baby or a young child, we get all excited,"
she smiles.
Most of the agency's referrals come
from Homecare and the Veterans' services,
with social services agencies also helping
out from time to time. The Victorian Order
of Nurses is especially welcomed by those
who may need medical help for a short
period of time after discharge from the
hospital, or those who might otherwise
need to move into a nursing home. Know-
ing that the V.O.N. is helping these people
to return home faster or stay there longer
is what makes her job as a visiting nurse
so rewarding to Jan Moore.
"I guess it's the fact that you're helping
people to be at home...you're really
assisting them in that way," she muses.
irs.es a brii
"People tend to be' more relaxed
when they're In their OWn homes."
•
"People tend to be more relaxed when
they're in their own homes."
One such patient who is benefitting from
the existence of the Victorian Order of
Nurses is Seafot'tth's Den Bods A stroke
victim, Mr. Bode was able to come lieme
from the hospital fn London at least 10
days earlier due to the V.O.N.'s home care
programs. 'Jan iVtoore' was by, daily to se, e •
Don and his wife, Tliebna, for the'first�two
weeks after bis return -home -The -visits-
lessened to once every three days, and
now they're down' to' weeks The Bode'S
agree that the services of a V.O,N. are
invaluable, and that Mrs. Moore's
assistance in their home has made life'
much easier for them.
"It's a great program, and Huron County
is lucky to have it," stresses Mrs. Bode.
A number of the patients that Mrs.
Moore sees are not fortunate enough to
have a spouse at home, and many of them
are isolated out in the county.
"Some people are out there on their own,
and they're very lonely," she says.
"I think that's what makes this so ap-
pealing ...you know that you might be the
only person that will be visiting them for
that day, or even that week.".
The at-home patient care and infrequen-
cy of some of the visits demands a high
degree of competency on the part of the
V.O.N.'s staff. Because of this, nurses
must have worked for at least two years
in a hospital environment before joining
the organization.
"It's a very independent thing...you don't
have a supervisor down the hall," Mrs.
Moore points out.
"We're finding that there's more and
more people at home requiring technical
support," she adds, citing heart and kidney
monitoring devices and Intravenous
equipment.
"I think that we'll be finding that more
and more in the years to come."
One reason for this is the expansion On
the Palliative Care program in the Vic-
torian Order of Nurses. This program pro-
vides medical care and support for the ter-
minally ill patient who wishes to die at
home. Such support is also cruciall for the
families of these patients, Mrs. Moore
stresses.
"I think that it's becoming more accep-
table for people to stay at home," she
notes. "People are looking for resources,
they're looking for someone to turn to."
The V.O.N. provides that someone.
Although some of the larger branches have,
a specialized Palliative Care team, Huron
County does not and each nurse is current-
ly caring for at least one terminally ill
patient.
"They're really starting to educate peo-
ple in that field," Mrs. Moore adds, noting
that donations made to the V.O.N.'s
Bereavement Fund goes towards educating MAKING A DIFFERENCE - Victorian Order of Nurses' Senior
their nurses in long-term care., nurse Jan Moore visits week) with Don Bode of Seaforth to
For the Bode's, though, Mrs. Moores Y
weekly visits provide ,them with that little
bit` of extra .sue.,port and needed medical
este such as blood pressure reading and
checlping the pacemaker that, Mr. Bode
carnes: Hers Is a friendly face that r.
Bbde looks forward 'to seeing.
Mr. Bode adds that he enjoys getting out
to the Pay Care for the Homebound cen-
tte.,wh11h operates en the Huronview site
in Qinton `>For one half-day a week, Mr.
'Bode- is picked up` by van and taken -to
Cliilton..where he enjoys such activities as
movies, bingo and relaxing in a whirlpool
with new-found friends and support staff.
"It's amazing, the support services that
are out there," Mrs. Bode says.
Before his stroke, Mr. Bode worked for
the hospital fn Seaforth as the supplies
Purchasing Agent. Everything comes full
circle, it seems, as one of his projectswas
overseeing the purchase of supplies for the
V.O.N. home care program for 16 years.
"He was ' telling me how much
everything cost," Mrs. Moore adds with a
laugh.
Mr: Bode remarked that, in all the years
that he worked with the Victorian Order of
Nurses hi procuring their supplies, he
never imagined that he would one day be
in their care. But, he and his wife are
grateful that he
"You don't realize what a great service
it is until you really need it."
A LOT OF MILEAGE has gone into Registered Nurse Jan Moore's car. Working
with the Victorian Order of Nurses, Mrs. Moore covers a home care territory ranging
from Zurich to the far side of Clinton. Elliott photo.
provide medical care, homecare services and a friendly face
in the home. Mrs. Moore travels throughout the area for the
V.O.N., seeing about six patients daily. Elliott photo.
Public education
Public education is the first and most
crucial step to be taken in Ontario Hydro's
bold 25 -year energy conservation plan.
This was the .message driven home to
members of COMPEC, or the Co Operative
Management Plan for Electrical Commis-
sions, who attended a half-day information
session at the Clinton offices last Thursday.
Tom Phillips, Seaforth PUC Manager and
Chairman of COMPEC, was generally
pleased with the afternoon's presentation.
"I thought that the input was very
good," he stated. "They (Ontario Hydro)
are getting us involved."
"It's still new to us, though...we still
have to assess the whole situation."
Keynote speaker for the afternoon was
Bill, Dodds, Customer Service and Utilities
reprosentatVe for the Cditestdga bratidh'bf'
Ontario Hydro, in . Waterloo. Mr. Dodds
showed the group a video and slides outlin-
ing•their 25 -year plan for the conservation
and production of hydroelectric energy in
the province, and later entertained ques-
tions from the delegates.
Water quality
An Information Day will be held on
Wednesday, January 31 at the Seaforth
Community Centre to examine local water
quality concerns. It will begin at 1:30 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend this event,
which is being co-sponsored by the
Ausable-Bayfield and Maitland Valley Con-
servation Authorities.
Studies completed by these conservation
authorities, in cooperation with the
Ministry of the Environment, have iden-
tified the major sources of bacterial pollu-
Communities agains
The provincial government recently an-
nounced a community-based anti-drug
strategy to deal with the issue of the i1 -
legal use of drugs.
A Provincial Anti -Drug Secretariat has
been established to form partnerships with
community groups to strengthen their
capacity to reduce. and prevent the in-
cidence and impact off the illegal use of
drugs.
The Communities United Against Drugs
Grants Program will assist communities to
organize and carry out unique prevention
and promotion projects,
The deadline for the first series of ap-
Club to ,get grant
The Seaforth Curling Club will receive
$1,440 from the Ministry of Tourism and
Recreation, via a Participaction Develop-
ment Grant, to purchase rocks for their
junior players. This announcement was
made recently by the Honorable Ken
Black, Minister of Tourism.
is the
The program, focussing on "Providin
the Balance of Power", is aimed at
assess
ingg the demands that will be put on On
hydro system for the next 25 year
and the ways in which Ontario Hydro,
conjunction with the province's electric
commissions, can work to meet thes
demands.
"The plan is about assessing the needs
defining the resources and finding th
balance between our needs and resources,'
Mr. Dodds said. Still in its infancy, th
plan is currently being presented to com
missioners and the public, and if all goe
well, the documentation will be put- before
the Ontario Government's Environmenta
Assessment Board sometime in the fail o
1990.
'nft Ooiild tab* to lllrefeget,tll'
Environmental Assessment passed," Mr
Dodds cautioned the group.
The 'Balance of Power' plan has thre
top priorities under examination. Thei
first goal is to work on reducing the de-
mand on the province's hydroelectric
s
m
al
e
e
e
5
1
f
e
r
information d
tion that have been causing serious water
quality problems in the area. These
sources include failed septic systems, cat
tle access to streams, poor manure
spreading practices, run-off from manure
stacks and feedlots, and improper disposal
of milkhouse wastes.
In the Maitland and Ausable River
waterbeds three sources account for almost
all of the bacterial pollution that finds its
way to Lake Huron; faulty septic systems
cattle access to streams, and winter
t drugs in offing
lications is February 1. There will be a
econd series of funding and the deadline
r those applications will be May 31, 1990.
urther information on the program may
obtained by contacting any of Huron
PP Jack Riddell's riding offices.
p
s
fo
F
be
M
cornerstone of. 25 year
rresources, through industrial power toner- '"Because of i�the`'lafay` the syst$m
hydro plan
is get it.ihto gear.
t",IU there were some questions that I
didn't quite answer, it was because I
wasn't quite sure of the answer...we were
told to stay positive about the issue," Mr.
Dodds remarked after the presentation.
The COMPEC chairman did admit that
while the presentation was informative, it
could have been more directed.
"I thought that maybe he could have
come across a little stronger at first, and
on what he wanted us to grasp," Mr.
Phillips noted.
"If these people are going to forecast 25
years down the road, then let's really get
behind it, let's promote it."
One of Ontario Hydro's promotional
plans for the 'Balance of Power' involves
public displays in cities and towns during
the next few months. An information cen-
tre will be set up in Goderich from
February 26 through to March 2, with
representatives on hand to answer any
questions concerning energy conservation
and the demand/supply program.
"We have a big education project ahead
of us," said Lionel LeBrun, Area Manager
from the Clinton Hydro office. "We have a
lot of convincing to do."
t/ation incentives and rigorous public operating right how, we dori't 'stave tha
24% reserve," Bill Dodds admitted.
"Now, we have a problem with peaking
in the summertime as well."
Some of the COMPEC delegates atten-
ding the meeting questioned Mr. Dodds on
the 25 -year plan and expressed concern
over the role that the municipal commis-
sions are being asked to play.
"We're still in the business of selling
Kilowatt hours, primarily...what you guys
want us to do is not sell as many kilowatt
hours during the day," observed Bob
Hume, Manager of the Mitchell Public
Utilities Commission.
Seaforth Manager Tom Phillips question-
ed Mr. Dodds on the role that the Ontario
>Jovernment is expected to play in the
25-y ar plan.
Have they approved? Or will it ac-
celerate from 25 to 40 years once they get
into it?" he wondered.
No firm answers were handed back to
the delegates except for those that were
answered in the video or handbook. Mr.
Dodds stressed that the program was still
very much in the educational stage and
that many steps still have to be taken to
education. Secondly, repair and
maintenance of existing generating stations
will be looked intd,' and the purchase of ad-
ditional power will be considered as a third
alternative.
Current figures show that the energy
needs forecasts made in the 1960's were
too high, while those made in the 1980's
turned out to be too low. At this time, 68
hydraulic stations in the province are sup-
plying 28% of Ontario's energy with some
of these stations being over 100 years old.
Four Candu stations cover 50% of the
energy needs, but it is predicted that most
of the five fossil fuel generating stations •
the province will die of old age within thd
:neat°25 years. Ontario Hydro is forecasting
that the province's demand will exceed its
supply by the year 1997.
In addition, the 24% of the customer load
that Ontario Hydro likes to hold onto as
reserve power for emergency has simply
not been there in the recent past.
ay to be held
spreading of manure. A number of
speakers will discuss these pollution
sources and the impact they have on water
quality.
Dr. J. Clare Rennie, Assistant Deputy
Minister of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food (OMAF), will outline
his perspective on the role and respon-
sibilities of the agriculture industry and
OMAF in protecting the environment.
Bob Bedggood, of the Middlesex Federa-
tion of Agriculture, will provide his views
on the challenge facing fanners as they
relate to water quality issues.
Conservation Authority staff will provide
information on the findings from the ma-
jor water quality studies that have been
undertaken over the past three years in
the Maitland and Ausable River
watersheds.
Admission to this event is free.
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Tuckersm-ith turns down request
Tuckersinith Council voted to turn down remarked Councillor McGrath. "You'll
a request for a giant tows tltk a� "
cial Broomball Tohrttainei'i stilted I
district in March.
A delegation had approached Council
earlier in the winter, apeaWng for either
a straight grant or an advertisement in the
tournament program. The issue was rais-
ed at the last meeting, and a motion to
abstain from supporting the Clinton and
Seaforth based event was made by Couti-
ilfslre,,tlle •baseball• teams in here, figure
s1ltjng..lf, you don't torn them all down,
it's a revolving door if you start."
"We haven't gotten involved in this sort
of thing in the past, and I don't think we
should start now," agreed Deputy Reeve
Carnochan, adding that "..this isn't
something Minor, it's adult recreation."
cillor Bill DeJong and seconded, by Larry The tournament has been set to run on
McGrath. a break-even basis, with any residual pro-
fit going towards the development of Minor
"If you start, where do you stop?" broomball in the host region.
"fin.'rcak'•<:iz S:iJ:kfi,J'.t).'uQGL;.o iii:+{.^md2:2ca0at";+;:^Sw.'ik''''.C%'&iwo'd.'dty,{S F i:M Bio•.•'k".,.:.vHKa....i::': :v ;:i<` r. rm ,.rad:
ne
i iOW ON*
gtttt in
t111(cix°trniy.
Wed., Jan. 24
1:00-3:00 p.m. — Parente end Tote Skating
1:30-4:00 p.m. — Senloi Shuffloboetd
4:30-5:30 p.m. — Junior and Belles Ringette
5:30-6:30 p.m. — Pee Wee "CC" Practise
6:30-8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball
8:00-9:00 p.m. — Fitness Is Fun at Arena
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Recreational Volleyball at
SONS
8:00-10:30 p.m. — Ladies Broomball at SDCC
8:00-11:00 p.m. — Men's Competitive Curling
Thurs.,
Jan.
25
4:30-6:30 p.m. — Figure Skating at SDCC
5:30-6:30 p.m. — Atom Practise
6:00-7:00 p.m. — Junior Gymnastics at SONS
6:30-8:00 part. — Minor Broomball at SDCC
7:00P.111; p,m M rod Cu in
4404
7.30L9ifiO pl.tn. 8 liatrm `Drncfng rtSbee
7:30-0:30 p.tn. Wood babying at SONS
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Mixed Basketball at SDHS
8:00-11:30 p.m. — Men's Broomball
Fri., Jan. 26
7:00 a.m.-1:30 a.m. — Seaforth-Egmondville
Broomball Tournament
1:30-2:30 p.m. — Story Hour at Library
Sun., Jan. 28
7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. — Broomball Tournament
continued
6:00-8:00 p.m. — I.H.L.
8:00-11:00 p.m. — Tavistock vs Seahawks
Mon., Jan. 29
4:30-8:30 p.m. — Figure Skating
7:00.11:00 p.m. — Men's Curling
7:30,9:30 p.m. — Wood Refinishing at SONS
8:00.10:00 p.m. — Competitive Volleyball at
SDHS
Tues., Jan. 30
l rill°;g 0040'; 0106. +1:.'Fitrteae is Fun at sow'Iii 20 a�r`ii.-1$ noon — Parents & Teta Skating
5:30.6:30 p.m. — Pee Wee "OD" Practise
1:00-3:00 p.m. -- Open Curling
6:16.6:16 p.m. — Junior and Senior House -
league Hockey
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Mixed Curling
6:30 P.m. -2:00 a.8f $ Stilitorth-Egmondville
Broomball Tournament
Sat., Jan. 27
Wed., Jan. 31
1:00-3:00 p.m. — Parents & Tots Skating
1:30-4:00 p.m. — Senior Shuffleboard
4:30.5:30 p.m. — Junior & Belles Ringette
5:30-6:30 p.m. — Pee Wee "CC" Prectlee
6:30-8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball
8:00-9:00 p.m. — Fitness Is Fun at SDCC
8:00-10:00 p.m. — Recreational Volleyball
8:00-10:30 p.m. — Ladies' Broomball
8:00.11:00 p.m. — Men's Competitive Curling
,