Huron Expositor, 2000-01-05, Page 111,...0.4 - ,1111..,. v _,
January 5, 2000
Si
(includes GSD
Local weather
Waidnesday--Mix of sun
and cloud. flurries. High -3
Thursday --Mainly cloudy,
Cig...‘1 Some Tight snow. "High 0.
Low -8.
'; Friday= -Mainly cloudy:
Scattered flurries. High 2.
-low-6. . -
Saturday --Cloudy.. Light
snow. High 2. Low -8.
From Environment Canada
In brief
Flu closes
nursing
home,
families
can
call in
Seaforth Manor Nursing
and Retirement Home has
had to close its doors this .
week because of the flu. •
"For the health "and'
safety of the residents of
Seaforth Manor, we have "
voluntarily closed our
doors to the public." said
Administrator, Lynne
Lawson on Monday.
Four residents have
Influenza A while other
• residents are" showing
symptoms of the flu.
"Family members can
call in at any time to
inquire about their. family
h." said Lawson.
There is • no way of
determining how long
before the public will be
allowed back inside the •
facility.
"We'll remain closed
until we're symptom
free," said Lawson. -
Joanne Heimpel, a
health care aid at
Maplewood Manor said
while there is someillness
in the facility, they have
not had a flu outbreak and
the facility remains open.
But she recommends if
anyone had any cold or flu
symptoms, not to visit the
facility.
To help control the
spread, she suggests
people practice good
hygiene including
washing their hands often
if they are coughing and -
sneezing, throwing out
tissues rather than keeping
them in pockets and
wiping down surfaces
people with flu symptoms
touch like telephones or
chairs.
When Seaforth Manor '
does reopen to visitors.
Lawson also recommends
people have had their flu
shots to help control its
spread.
Meanwhile, she said
Seaforth Manor
encourages family
members to call in and
check on the residents.
The facility is working
with the health unit and its
physicians to treat the
outbreak.
By Scott Hilgeruiogf
A Day in the
Life
of Seaforth
Spocid pull-out Pages
begin on Poge 7.
Hospitals ring in New Year
on postive note from province
Partnership
receives
much praise
By Scott Hilgendorff
Expositor Editor •
• The Huron Perth Hospital
Partnership has rung in the
new year on a positive note.
• ;The eight hospitals in the
partnership are pleased with
.the revues we've .received in
the• last few weeks, said
Bonnie :Adamson: chief
executive officer of the
.partnership. .
At a recent Ontario
Hospital Association
convention.- the chair of the
hospital restructuring
commission. Duncan
• Sinclair. gave great praise for.
the work. the partnership has
done •whilea provincial
report card on hospitals gave
the partnership eicellent
grades. -
At the convention. Sinclair
, said if he had the power, he
would recommend the
partnership go to the. top of
the list for funding
"I am confident that if we
were to visit the communities
- seryed by those hospitals five
years from now. we would
'see clear evidence of a
smoother continuum of care
and higher quality. more
accessible services that,
sadly: we would not .see in
many other parts of rural and
northern Ontario." he said in
an excerpt from his speech at
the convention.
The partnership formed in.
May. 1998. through an effort
.to meet restructuring
demands - of the Ministry of.
Health that would allow all
the hospitals to -stay open 1111
while operating more
efficiently and .yet providing
quality are to patients.
And .that quality of care
was reaffirmed through the
Hospital Report process that
saw the partnership receive
an above average rating in
December from information
gained in a patient survey. •
"We're very pleased•to be
a part of that system." said
Adamson of the•Hospital
Report. It is conducted across
the province and hospitals
volunteer to take part in the
process.
She said taking part in the
report allows them to look at
counterparts in the province
to see what they are doing
and look for examples of
how to improve themselves.
"We wanted to benchmark
ourselves." she said.
At the same time. she said.
they have received calls from
other provincial hospitals and
forming partnerships.
-congratulating them and
asking them about how the
local system works.
And while they received
consistently average and_
above average ratings in the
report. Adamson said they
will continue to work toward•
improving in all- areas
.including patient care.
"We believe in asking our
customers. our patients. what
they think.of their care: What
they think is exceptionally
important," she said:
Adamson said the
partnership believes that
collectively, the partnership
can • maximize its
opportunities to improve
programs and services and
the recent good news from
both areas 'has been
encouraging.
"This review from Duncan
Sinclair reinforces our vision
and mission," said Adamson.
She expects the hospital
will go through the Hospital
Report process, conducted
through the Ontario Hospital
Association, on at least an
annual basis but possibly
more often. :. The partnership is entering
its second yearOf a three to
five year plan_ to redefine -.
how the eight merged
hospitals operate. -
From introducing a new
system. of providing mealsto
patients last year to aent
restructuring of manage t
into a new leadership systettt
the partnership has •
continually been evolving
-
since the formation of a
leadership team about one
year ago at which time -
Adamson was hired as CEO '
and site administrators were
5N PARTNERSHIP, Page 3 -
Scott Hilgendorff photo
RPN Pat Gillis does a blood pressure check on patient Seaforth Community Hospital patient,. Raymond. Cooper. Patient
satisfaction with the care they receive in area hospitals received an above average rating on a provincial Hospital Report.
Town endorses efforts to save schools
Cluster group asks for town's sgpport
for fear without it, efforts are in vain
as fight to keep schools open gets organized
Sy Scott Hagondorff
Expositor Editor
\ new leader has come to the front
in what is becoming a race against
time to save the Seaforth high school.
The .Seaforth Cluster Community
Study Group a committee formed
with various cotnmunity leaders. was
at a special council -meeting Monday
night. requesting council's official
endorsement of their efforts and help
in generating a report to the Avon
Maitland District School Board that
is hoped will convince them not t�
close the high school. • -
The two groups have now joined
forces to take the lead in building a
case for why the high school should
stay open.
The meeting, called by Mayor
Dave Scott as a brain storming
session. saw council placed.under
pressure.by the study group.
Alf Ross, who is leading the study
group was concerned there had been
little heard from Seaforth council and
asked whether or not saving the
school was important to the council
members.
"It sure betterbe," said Reeve Lin
Stefflec .
"Then somebody better get going."
said Ross.
He told council the board is asking.
them to quantify reasons why the
high schoolshould stay open.
. He was concerned he had not seen
any . official impact statement
generated by the town regarding'the
effects closing the school would -have
on the community. something his
committee needs to support its .stand
that the high school should remain in
place.
"You people got elected to protect
this community. That's part of: your
job." he said. -
Carol -Ann Doig pointed out a
concern that several membersof
councilare employed by the school
board or are indirectly connected to
them. .•
"It may be difficult to work un .
either things (impact statements or
committees to save the school) or
rock the boat or rattle a few chains .
SN SCHOOL„ Pogo
Fall fair date will be moved away from Thanksgiving
By Scott Hilgendorff
Expositor Editor
The date of Seaforth Agricultural Society's fall
fair is moving next year in an effort to increase
participation, spectators and volunteers available to
helpp.-
• "Tile main reason was to try to get it away from
the busyness of Thanksgiving," said Agricultural
Society member, Gord Glen.
About nine years ago, it was originally moved to
the second weekend of October with the same idea
in mind, of being able to attract more people and at
a time when more exhibitors might be available.
But Gien said the current fair date has turned out
to be a busy time for people in general. Because it
comes at the end of the harvest, preparation for the
event comes at a time when agricultural society
volunteers are busy on their farms and people are
busy with families at Thanksgiving.
' Moving the fair earlier, Glen said they hope it
will be an easier time on their volunteers since the
harvest won't be in full swing and it might increase
the number of exhibits since theproduce will be
fresh agdrready.
A number'of exhibit areas were down this year
with vacancies in some.of the produce and preserve
categories. •
Having the fair in October. Glen said some
people are victims of frost and don't have the
quality of produce they need. to enter the fair.
Organizers were originailly afraid a September
date would split up entries with other area fairs but
don't think the third week in September will pose a
serious problem that way.
"It takes great preparation to do this," Glen said
of the decision to move the date.
For example, organizers had to be sure they could'
book midways and sound systems for that time
before going ahead with a decision to change the
weekend.
Glen said they have contacted all the venues,
such as the horse show which, despite decreases in
other areas. had grown at the last fair, to be sure
See PREPARATION$, fop S
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