Loading...
Goderich Signal Star, 2017-02-22, Page 17Jessica's House asking LHINs to share hospice beds Wants LHIN- supported beds in Exeter and Clinton Lynda Hillman-Rapley Postmedia Network The Southwest Local Health Integration Network (I,HIN) is being asked to support the creation of residential hospice beds in two Huron County locations rather than one, as currently proposed. Jessica's House is Huron Coun- ty's first proposed residential hos- pice, created in honour of 22 -year- old Jessica Hamather. The plan includes construction of Jessica's House, a three -bed residential hos- pice with the capacity to be expanded to six beds, and a Centre of Excellence in Palliative Care, sit- uated in Exeter. The steering committee for Jessi- ca's House, sponsored by the South Huron Hospital Foundation, is ask- ing the board of directors of the Southwest LHIN to provide operat- ing funds for two beds in Exeter, along with two beds at a hospice centre in Clinton. Currently, the LHIN is recom- mending to the board that it sup- port four beds, but only at the Clin- ton site. A decision could come at a LHIN meeting on Feb. 21. Jessica's House officials suggest the nature and geography of Huron County require two locations rather than one to better serve the needs of county residents. "The county is entirely rural," said Kimberley Payne, executive director of the South f-Iuron Hospi- tal Foundation. "And as such, its citizens identify most closely with their local villages and towns. In Huron County the population is geographically dispersed, with every citizen living in a small vil- lage or town or along a concession or county road. But Huron's population is not evenly dispersed throughout the county, and this is critical when it comes to providing operating funding for residential hospice services. "The goal ought to be to support these services where the people live and where there is capacity to plan, build, open, operate, and sus- tain the hospice for decades to come," said Payne. "Such an approach recognizes the capacity of community and the broad-base of committed citizens working to make Jessica's House a reality." Deb Homuth, the co-chair of the Jessica's House steering committee, said the LHIN would be declaring a winner and loser if recommends funding for the proposed Clinton hospice and but for Jessica's House. "We believe that the broad com- munity of Huron County citizens has no interest whatsoever in see- ing the board of the LHIN make one community into a winner and one into a loser," said Homuth. The answer, say Jessica's House officials, is a plan whereby Jessica's House and Clinton's hospice - both of which would be operational by March 2018 - would receive fund- ing from the Southwest LHIN to assist with the operation of two res- idential hospice beds each. Both Jessica's House and the Clinton hospice would be free to operate as many beds as they like; but such additional beds would be funded through local fundraising. Jessica's House officials believe collaboration is key. "We recommend and support the board of the LHIN endorsing a solution that would see two beds at Jessica's House and two beds at the Clinton site being given approval for operating funding support con- tingent upon them being open and operating by March 2018," said Homuth. "It will not cost the LHIN any more money to fund two beds in Please call if you are a female entrepreneur who would like to show- case your career, product or service together with inspiring other women. Wednesday, February 22, 2017 • Signal Star 17 Lynda Hillman-Rapley/Postrnedia Network Members of Jessica's House committee speak to the forum at a public meeting in late 2016. Shown are Kimberley Payne (seated), Maria Hamather and Deb Homuth. each community, as they would only be funding 5210,000 per com- munity instead of $420,000 in one community. Such a model sup-- ports up=ports good use of taxpayers' dol- lars, recognizes Huron County's unique character and geography, and honours the work already being done on the ground by the citizens of Huron County." Hospice care programs provide a range of palliative care support for Mai.in usiness? Published Date: March 8th, 2017 Deadline: Thursday, March 2nd, 2017 Contact Goderich Signal Star - Stacey Scott 519-524-2614 ext. 229 Email: sscott@postmedia.com terminally ill people who'are in the final stages of their illnesses, and for their families. Health care pro- fessionals and volunteers provide hospice care in a residential setting. local women visit Marilyn Denis show Conbtuted photo While in Toronto last week, Lambton Shores's. Pam Cook, Ginger Weber, Jan Williams and Huron East's Helen MacLellan took in the Marilyn Denis show. The women pose here with the name sake of the show. The women tagged along to Toronto with their husbands, Lambton Shores deputy mayor Doug Cook, Lambton Shores mayor Bill Weber, Lambton Shores's CAO Kevin Williams and Huron East mayor Bernie MacLellan who attended the 2017 Rural Ontario Municipal Association. (ROMA). The two and a half day conference had 40 plenary and concurrent sessions and more than 90 speakers promoting, supporting and enhancing strong and effective rural governments.