Times Advocate, 1994-7-27, Page 2Page 2
%. Times -Advocate, July 27, 1994
IN TF -fl WFWS.
i 4 -
Regional
wrap up
Hospital
lays off
nurses,
closes beds
GODERICH - Alexandra Ma-
rine and General Hospital has is-
sued temporary layoff notices to
seven nurses and one orderly
that will take effect September
I8.
The layoffs, feared by admin-
istrator Ken Engelstad as possi-
bly becoming long-term, are the
result of closing 16 beds at the
hospital due to a dropping pa-
tient demand, reported the Gode-
rich Signal -Star.
More hospital services are be-
ing offered on an out-patient ha-
sis, and people are spending Tess
time in hospital after treatment.
If going
OPP, then
why not
24-hour
coverage?
MITCHELL - Deciding
whether or not to disband the
town's police force in favour of
a contract with the OPP, Mitch-
ell's police board said one ad-
vantage might be full 24-hour
coverage.
Currently, Mitchell police are
on duty for 20 hours of the day,
with someone on call for the re-
maining four hours, according to
the Mitchell Advocate.
"If were going to make a
change, wouldn't it be nice to
change to something better'?"
asked mayor Hugh McCaughey.
However, since it would re-
quire at least seven officers to
establish a full 24-hour patrol,
the cost of the OPP contract may
be more than the town can af-
ford. Police chief Chuck Zehr
said it might even cost double
what the current police budget is
now.
Back_. yard
fires said
too common
in Parkhill
PARKHILL - Only barbecues,
not fire pits, should be allowed
in Parkhill backyards, council
was urged last week.
The town at present has no by-
law banning open fires. Resi-
dents have been using fires to di -
pose of tree branches and other
debris, reports the Parkhill Ga-
zette.
Residents have complained
that fires are so common that
"you can't open your windows
for the smell of smoke".
While fire code regulations
can sometimes be used to re-
strict the size and type of back-
yard fire, other municipalites
have resorted to bylaws to regu-
late backyard fires.
Two
accidents
claim five
lives
WINGHAM - Two traffic ac-
cidents claimed the lives of five
people in Huron County last
week.
July 14, an Oldsmobile collid-
ed with a Porche on Highway
86, just west of the Maitland
River Bridge. Killed in the acci-
dent were Otto Linde, 30, of
Lucknow, Kevin Rintoul, 16, or
RR2 Lucknow, and Patrick
Magee, 17, of Wingham. Other
victims were in critical condi-
tion.
The day before, a two -car col-
lision just across from Point
Farms Provincial Park on High-
way 21 north of Goderich, re-
sulted in the deaths of Douglas
Bell, 65, of Stratford and his sis-
ter Marguerite Kilesar, 61, of
Brandon, Manitoba. An RR3
Goderich teen was airlifted to
London in critical condition.
Sidewalk Sale Days
Positively Stompin' performed live outside Sam the Record Man for the Sidewalk Sale on Sat-
urday.
aturday. The local band, whose members hail from Exeter, has been performing throughout On-
tario.
Even with all the traffic on
Main Street for Sidewalk
Sales Days, there was still
time to catch a nap. These
puppies, up for sale, had
no difficulty making the
best of the dog days of
summer.
Sidewalk Sales Days in Exeter last week not only featured
bargains for shoppers, but entertainment also. Two free con-
certs, and karaoke were part of the fun, but many people also
tried their hand at throwing baseballs with their speeds re-
corded by a radar gun. The top throwers in each category
both days won baseball gloves.
Placement service to make access easier
A Huron -County wide service will make it simpler for families and seniors to apply
for retirement and nursing home placements and access other in-home services
EXETER - Huron County seniors
and their families now have access
to a service coordinating place-
ments in local retirement and nurs-
ing homes.
Sallie Lawton, representing the
Huron County Placement Co-
ordination Service, attended last
week's council session to explain
the new program.,
Lawton said the emphasis is on
giving all homes and applicants
equal treatment "so they access the
beds in the same manner".
Part of the program's aid is mere-
ly to make the application and wait-
ing list system more under-
standable. Lawton said there is a
lot of demand from families "who
need some help to find their way
through the system".
For those not quite ready to enter
a retirement home, Lawton said the
service can refer families to com-
munity services that can ease the
difficulties of senior living at home.
Exeter reeve Bill Mickle asked
Lawton if this is a step towards a
system where different nursing
homes provide specific forms of
care. Lawton replied it was actual-
ly the opposite, and was instead an
effort to provide the same care at
all homes in the county.
"It should be a flexible system, so
[seniors) can go where they are
most comfortable" said Lawton.
Mickle then commented that "this
government appears to have a pref-
erence for publicly run institutions"
and asked whether this service had
a preference for Huron County's
Co-op housing being planned
Grand Bend continues to grow and
co-operative housing may be next
GRAND BEND - Here it grows again. "I understand they (co-op housing) are quite a bit
Waiting for an expanded sewage system isn't keep- different than condominiums," asked deputy -mayor
ing new developers from coming to Grand Bend. Cam Ivey.
Monday night, Wayne Malo asked council to con- "From your standpoint as a council, it wouldn't be
sider re -zoning property on Highway 81 near where any different," said Malo.
Dr. Anne Wilson is putting the final touches on the While the project is simply in the developmental
renovated railway station. stages, Malo did say their could be some smaller units
Malo told council what is beytg proposed is co- designed especially for seniors in mind.
operative housing. Most would be units with less than "It's not a nursing home. It's designed for people to
1,000 square feet. age in place," said Malo.
our Views
Letters to the editor
Bike helmets not just for kids
... I'm at a loss for words to ex-
plain why people would want to
take chances...
•
Dear Editor;
Not only parents set an example. Other adults
who our children see can influence what kids do, es-
pecially if that adult is a role model.
As 1 travel through Exeter and Centralia, it is al-
ways disappointing to see adult bikers riding with-
out a helmet.
My two year old son is learning to ride his bike,
and I'm explaining to him the importance of wear-
ing a helmet every time he rides. My job is more
difficult when Luke says, "Mommy, why doesn't
that person have a helmet on7" I'm at a loss for
words to explain why people would want to take
chances. I don't understand this myself when you
hear of people without helmets being killed and the
recent story where a helmet saved a child's life.
When a bike helmet only costs $16, everyone, not
just parents can help me teach my son that safety
should be a normal part of everyday life.
Yours truly,
Kelli Kennedy
public retirement homes, and a bias
against the privately -owned ones.
Lawton said she wasn't aware of
any bias.
"I haven't seen anything that has
come out that says 'favour one type
of institution'," she said.
Mickle asked if the service would
be making requests to the Ministry
of Health to provide extra nursing
home beds when there is an in-
creased demand. He pointed out
that Exeter currently has a need for
more nursing home spaces.
"Right now the nursing homes
make the application...to the Min-
istry of Health," replied Lawton,
but noted that Exeter's shortage is
only a very local problem.
"Right now in Huron County we
have the right number of beds,"
said Lawton, adding the province
uses a formula based on population.
"Even if they aren't distributed
equally over a geographic area?"
asked Mickle.
Lawton said she would prefer to
dodge that question. However, she
did say waiting lists and complaints
about lack of retirement home spac-
es may not be accurate anyway,
and the new placement service
would help determine the genuine
need for rest home space.
"1 think some people put their
name on a waiting list as part of re-
tirement planning...but they really
don't need that bed," said Lawton.
Lawton did agree there has been
a reduction in the total number of
nursing home beds in Huron
County in past years.
Deputy -reeve Lossy Fuller asked
Lawton how families are to find out
about the new service and get in
contact with it, to which Lawton
said pamphlets have been distrib-
uted to hospitals, the homes, and
churches. The Placement Co-
ordination Service is also listed
with the Huron County Information
Service.
Capsule Comments
with Ernie Miatello
Some antibiotics are losing their ability to kill
bacteria. It's called resistance. One of the rea-
sons why this is occurring is because people
do not take all the antibiotic prescribed to
treat an infection. It Is Important to take all the antibiotic dis-
pensed and not stop when you start feeling better.
Mozart wins again, Researchers at the University of California
tested students for reasoning ability. The students did better af-
ter listening to 10 minutes of Mozart than they did listening to
10 minutes of relaxation tapes or even 10 minutes of silence!
A large study done recently In the U.S. has found that over half
of men over age 40 suffer from some degree of Impotence. The
problem does increase with age. The figures show 5% of 40 -year
old males have complete impotence while 15% of 70 -year olds
do.
HURON
APOTHECARY at
Phone 235-1982 440 Main St., Exeter
'Your Health Care Pharmacy