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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-08-21, Page 3• .. b .�1►I riserv• council for .senior et t i ;te►ts tt•vrkS t u t(•4►r►I you l b 'gaAN r ,oke4 GODE'RICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, AU UST 21,,1915--!'"9,- M1 placewhere rejection is unaccepta By. SE TF S DDP - Preparing for the day when your boss, gives you your gold watch and -wishes you well in your retirement is 'something about which -most -Canadians 'are very lax..,, The young, have ' difficulty imagining themselves paunchy -and grey, and con- fidently 'claim there's lots of time to safe, for retirement. The middle aged, generously in debt, threaten to put aside a few bucks after the car is paid off and try to find some sort of hobby that may interest them in later years. Those at retirement age, feel they have enough to keep them going if the rate of inflation is curbed while they secretly wish they were 20 years younger and could do it all again. The Ontario government recognized a need to help senior citizens who found themselves financially unprepared for retirement` and yet Frepared to take an active interest in their community lite. Not wanting to make these people wards of the state, the government established an advisory council to investigate Inexpensive and much needed ways to allow seinior citizens to help themselves.. The council is composed of 17 members drawn from all regions of the province from varied age groups and"life styles an'd all involved in some way with seniors thus hopefully creating a representative, concerned and objective group. Their chairman Hope Holmested regards the establishment of the council as an "act of faith in seniors and a concern , "that has never before been expressed so concret y by the government". Four basic areas that curb the freedom and lifestyle of .most- seniors were- irr vestigated. Income maintenance,,, ac -4 comodation, health services and education were, subjects given committees of the council and these were soon expanded to encompass human resources, home care , anci senior citizens centres. The two primary goals for .the 17 people were to further promote and create op- portunity for the'aged to help themselves to their own satisfaction and to review current policies and facilities , of ,, the government which have a bearing on aging and the economy. • Just over a year after its inception the council submitted an annual report tb the government which.was made public in a 27 - page, book. The report dealt with many surprising facts relating to the retiring generation and .made obvious the need for Canadians to take steps now to ensure they will be able to lead a useful and active life after. retirement. The council setup .individual committees to handle the different areas to be in- vestigated, The human resources com- mittee convened by Wilson Abernethy of Toronto uncovered some interesting facts governing the general attitude of society towards seniors that serve to explain why so many problems afflict the aged. "The prevailing attitude of society' both old and•young'is that upoh retirement older people have no further value as people, have no responsibility to the society- they • live in, have certain rights and privileges and should seek only one goal, that being rest from work' and to search diligently after hatfpiness, -' obseryed Mr. Aberrjethy. The human resources committee reported that no legislation could serve to , change public, opi,nkin, .bui that persuasion ' of the public to' realize that seniors have responsibilities to society and that their wisdom, experience and knowledge, can be a very valuable asset to that society.. They felt that opportunities could be. made to allow the aged to contribute their abilities and that a greater understanding of seniors is required by people of all ages, This understanding would serve to assist the seniors to assist themselves. Many elderly today are cast aside like 'worn-out shoes. They have 'Vatched their pur- chasing power dwindle due to inflation, are afraid to spend those few dollars saved for burial or a,rainy day and are deeply afra"id of being uprooted and institutionalized. By further understanding their, needs the young and old could work side by side to ensure a full, dignified and beneficial life from birth to death. These fears can he eliminated simply according to the council, by offering the elderly the ,same purchasing power they' had when they retired. To achieve this income,maintenance the council, reconi- rrnmto the. govenrment several ideas that would ease .the minds. of the aged without costing the, taxpayers a hu-ndle, The greater portion of the recom- mendations concerned government plans already operated-- but streamlined many of them. Most of the government services require application and the committee felt that the -elderly, should be automatically registered and compensated for these plans without having to apply. This ,would. remove them ,,from the• miles of red tape surrounding government agencies,. They would receive • the benefits withovt•having to continuously re -m iu i -t-110--lar-e 3 nee that -they- are --now aid and in need of assistance. The. council recommended that seniors he exempt from land speculation and land transfer taxes and that OHIP coverage be extended tgsover hearing aids; dentistry, physiotherapy and ambulance services for seniors. Payment and raises in pensions v'as investigated. Some firms that have pen- sion plans for their employees are vulnerable to bankruptcy or they are closed down after purclia"se by larger corporations and in some cases the pen- sons are promised when no actual funds' are available to make payment. The cotencil • recommended that legislation be passed that guarantees these pensions despite what happens to the firm paying them. --They also asked that the pensions be raised to keep abreast of the average wage.increase ratherthan,thecost of living increase. Aside from securing financing for the provinces' elderly, the council investigated what could be done to improve'their living conditions and style. To permit the aged to, contribute to community life in a concretemanner, they must be allowed to live in the community for as long as ,possible. Costs', of housing, upkeep of homes and home care problems often force seniors to .se11 their house or f rm and :either move into small • apart- ��•nts they don't `really want or ,enter- a rsing home.. The council recommended that housing for. seniors be government subsidized and that the planning' of these areas" be -par- ticipated in by the future residents, the seniors themselves. 1,0 By doing tWs, the councjl• felt that. with re • and to sho ping,4churches and social functions coui be most convenient. , The units would be constructed to best serve Ideal needs such as -one bedroom or two bedroom, number of floors and rescue and fire facilities. Grab bars for baths, safety. " switches on stoves to prevent . reaching over hot burners, lowshelves and cupboards, lighting .and entranceways and all'switches, shelves and facilities needed for daily life should be .placed ' with wheelchair patients and disabled people in mind. By allowing the seniors. to plan their own homes these factors would be assureds according to the council members. Along with income and housing problems that 'seem topjague the senior citizens, the advisory council checked into methods'of improving home care plans, location tand level ofW".ore in nursing homes, further education of senior -s and implementation of social programs that could involve young and old alike. The program is just , one year old. According to council Chairman Hope Holmested, the opportunities that could be provided by society through an organization like the advisory council are limitless. • She explained that the council members felt that their main achievement was to provide a province in which it is possible togrow old with dignity and a sense of! usefulness, where services are adequate 'and varied and include—the element of choice in all facets, "We hope to progress to a level where -people have true concern -for one another •and where rejection is- no longer ac-.s ceptable," she said. Seat bells cut risks by mors than half says Riddell My involvement with school bus safety In Ontario, one but of every three • been prevented if seat belts had been worn. and highway safety brought the related reported accidents 'results in 'injury and A.maj„or study of 28,000 traffic accident problern of seat belts to .my attention. I 'one in every hundred results in death. records was conducted in Sweden inn the" thought"I should pass On to you some of the. During 1973, .there were nearly 100,000 mid -1960's. This study included serious and information and facts about how the use,of seat belts can dramatically reduce the risk of _injury and death. - Scientific testing has given us :ample evidence that strongly supports the use of seat belts yet few people seem to use them fearing'that a seat belt would trap them in acci their car or just thinking that they are too statist much trouble. In 197 But if t'you look at the facts -you will see accidents. that wearing your seat belt is a simple and drivers was a effective way to reduce the risk of being hurt in a car accident. 12.5 percent of Ontario's present pulation (almost l million people) will be filled or injured in a "motor vehicle ac- cident within the next' ten years. Over a lifetime, a 'person has more than a fifty- fifty chance of being injured in a car ac- • cident ' people injured and 2,000 killed in traffic minor accidents at all speeds and found accidents. Serious car adcidents are that people who had "buckled,up" received especially common among younger people. about half as •many. injuries as those who For people under age 35; traffic accidents hadn't. The greatest reductions were 'in are responsible for more deaths than any,, head, face and chest injuries. No one disease and for more deaths tian all other wearing a seat belt was killed` in any tints combined - pretty shocking collision at speeds up to 60 miles per hour. s!, People 'without their seat belts . on: were in Ontario, 830 drivers died in car killed iii col. ;s o11s -at speeds 'less than `'0 e death rate for. unbelted miles per hour. S�'rnall children -are likely to out 2.3 pet - 1;000 accident' 'suffer serious he"ad injuries even in low- invilved drivers. The death rate for belted -speed accidents. Seventeen percent of the effective at speeds of less than 60 miles per hour-lt has also been shown that, vehicle occupants are better off in a side co1lision they are wearing their sealbelts'. Seat belts cannot' always prevent fatal injuries in extremely high-speed accidents:However, they are of some. benefit in .nearl.y. ac7 Soine people.believe that in a car .crash, 'they can Protect themselves by holding on to the steering wheel or braeing them - studies showed that the risk of death or estimated that 500 lives, And $50 to $100 serious injury•is many times greater il_the million could be saved annually in health person is ihrown out of the Car. About one- _care costs connected with' automobile quarter of all passengers and driver deaths • accidents in Ontario. The Ministry Of' * 'result from being throwp outof the car and . Health's own statistics show that motor ' one study estimated that 80 percent of vehicle accidents cost the health system of thi)se deaths could have been prevented if this province )1 million a day! . • the person had been btickled into the car. . 47 4 . Those who believe it is saferto be throWn , ' clear -should consider why mOtorcycle In the absence of seat belt 'legislation in accidents are so dangerous, . Ontario, every car driver ,and passenger selves with, their arms or legs., But has to decide fbr himself or herself.„whether • collisions happen too fast to.permit. this- " Id Australia, where seat beftlegislation he or she thinks that seat belts are worth the forces., involved in a collisiorK l'''ew too .ls' 116Vv—'''Cil"e"ffect, there has been a 25'peecent - the trouble ,it takes to Use them. Every .';'reat to withstand even at moderate erson who uses the roads risks injury pr drOp in fatalities 'and injuries, in the first P speeds. In a 30 Mile"per hour craSh with an death - an unpleasant thought, but,the risk year. Before' .the seat belt law was in - immovable barrier, the occupant ofthecar troduced in Atistralia, 30', percept of ac- is real! No.one is immune to accidents and. i strikes the interior of the car with a force of cident victims there entered hospital. This. nothing, can guarantee you against ac— - several ,gthousand pPunds .- More • than cident. No one ban control all the factors ' has novV been -reduced to 14 .,perCent. enough to cause serious injury to himself OffiCials in Australia' estimate that cam- involved in a traffic collisioo. , pli,ance with the "buckle up- legislation is - . as high as 8-5 percent. . both passengers and drivers coUld have 'end collisions. They also tgnd ,to be more accident or to be thrown clear". ese Dear 'Editor (coiltinue0) Readers dispute rtv, te (continued from page 2) were not advised the real 'ef- fective date? I received a card in maii to '"All Electric Customers" that due to increaSed costs in purchasing of power and operating expenses have forced your utility to inCrease- hydro 'rates effective with all bills issued on and after. August lst 1975. They give the following example: On 3000 KWH -all • electric $41.15; on 3000. KWH' preferred rate $41,10. NoW worked on rate's I-2.. acquired from Ppc, On 1st '50 KWH at 1.3, 6.50; On rest 2250 Why was I 'led to believe I ' would pay legs, when in fact it Also effective date, my previous billing date June 25th, the laSt bill- I received was dated July 30th; with new rate, as,I presume the bill was issued -On ,and, after August Ise', so - my increase effective date was in reality on JUne 25th. All ,I,say, is why doh't the PUC tell it like it really is, and give out with the new ratte structure and effective date? Yours truly H. V. Hambly, 180 Sunset Dr. Question sign Md • Once again,..we ,enjoYed .our anilual visit 'to Goderich. However„ a 'small "incident arose that marred an otherwise excellent stay. We had decided three children (6, 3 and lf),. swimming in the Maitland River as the lake At that time was still too cold. Piper's Dam was suggested to us arid. Ave - proceeded „to drive to the bottom of Mill Road., Descending the hill, we passed between two pillars with a sign„, "The Walkers''. It appeared that we were, entering private propArty which in the, past we knew to be ptiblie: At the. bot- tom „of the hill, two fences had been erected across the road. the one fedce a PRIVATE sign was posted. We enquired of the Owner 9f the house, who identified , himself as Dr. Walker, as to. Ownership of the area and to the possibility of parking there for an hour to take the children swimming. His reply was tOthe ...AT BEST BUY PRICES , CENTRE SLICES ONLY Back Bacon $1 9st HOMEMADE 3 A. Head- Cheese ,11.19 :1" AINSLIE MARKE-T PINE - LIMITED RIVER Home Dressed Inspected Meati at Wholesale Prices CHEESE CALL' 524-8551 FREEZER SPECIAL — CUT tREE FRONT Inckides 1'S - 18 STEAKS • Quarter of Beef IR.72c SHORT Rib Steaks Le 88c WE SELL PINE RIVER CHEESE • 1 rat -11(111011 But, a simple, quick and effective w.Vbf • • ' 'cutting the risk by more than half is to The 'Ontario Ministry of Health has "buCkle up"' - WEAR YOU.R SEAT 14ELT! If • that we *would have to park at called plutenitim -frendishly the WI) •the hill. In the toxic", material, The merest discussion that' followed, Dr, • trace 'of It is enough to induce Walker advised us to pii!'k just beu!scer, It seems there's little danger - • ff the road near the pillars away from:his buildings so ag of . setting off a nuclear ex-, not to intrude on his prftacy, plosion' ing dyna Mite, but the • We enjoyed an hour's swimat possibility 'of spreading that Dan? and would in the . radioactive contamination futUre like -to return. through leakage or other ac It would be appreciated if you cident is very real. ' would advise us Of the situation • This,. may be slower than, an as itrelates to the rights of. 'the atotnic Cxplosioo, but either public to have access te and to Way yod' re just as dead,. • park near the Dam_ Sincerely, Yours truly, R.G. MacDonald Pierrefonds, Quebec. Editor's Note:, Goderich :township Reeve Perry Ginn. said he had :been investigating lhe.clo4ng of the road and diseovered that all the, iand and the road past the toWnship Culvert at the bottom , of the hill is priVatC. He said he :was still discussing the possibility with The owner of ". having' the river area made -- public again but felt it was - too early set to offerTomment' on the matter. DeatIvirs, Keller. ash in the editorial on Dr. _Shulman in the AugustA4 Issue could be .very misleading, I quote: "Spent, fuel hays , (of noclear reattoiv; only contain what amounts to the' radioactive ashes of . spent fuel.'' One of the components of this ash •is plutonium, according to the Union of Concertwd. Scientists. And Glenn Seabprg, the d rover -yr of pin ton i u m and Dear Editor : • women who trained during the,: - Training School in. will. be. gathering for the 30th successive year the weekend of September 19,20,21 'at ,DLInn- ville. Highlights of this special 'Saturday, morning golf tour- nament, fly past of wartime Harvard aircraft during a brief • memorial service a( the' Civic Centre Harvard Memorial; a presentation by .the Hamilton Erskine, Pipe Band; a banquet and dance to the' music of the' 1940's and a Sunday mprning breakfast served by Mayer All veterans of Nb, 6, their spouses and -or Companions, are inQited to attend, Contact Frank Scholfield, 'Box 187, Municipal Building, Dunnville,. Ontario, if not no'‘'.v on their mailing list. Sincerely yours, Frank Seholfield. Loneiv majo rOte Dear Editor, I like living -in Goderich very much but I wish we could get mire parades in Goderich. - I'm one who loVes parades and I march in some of them. B.ut.1 have to march outof town thetime,so please, let's have some more parades. • Yours truly, Sad Majorette school bus stopping law oes into e eet Septernber 1 The new school bus stopping law an- nounced in late February will go into effect Monday. September 1, Minister of Tran- sportation and Communications John,R. The new la under Section 120 of The Highway Traffic Act. requires .traffic travelling in both directions to halt when a stopped school bus floshe4 its alternating red signal lights regardless of the posted 'S'PeccI41i t. Traffic may 'not proceed- until the school bus resumes motion or its red lightS • af-, fixed to; both the front lind rear of the bus - stop fla'shing, Failure to stop for a school bus with its alternating red signal Hights flashing carries a penalty of four ciriVer demerit poi rils and a "ma xi mu in fine of $100 Previously,. the stop -in -both -directions rule required drivers to Stop only whim the maximum sPoed 'li mit .was greater than 35 Miles per hour. Sly new law applies regardlioss of ,the posted speed slimit 6n highways, country roads, city, town and village streets. The only exception is on highways divided by a mediatn. strip. Then, 9nly vehicles behind the schbol bus m•ust stop •upon seeing the flashing red lights. Oncoming traffic on the opposite side of the median may proceed, A median strip is a physical barrier -or an unpaved st!tip 'of ground separatkng traffic travelling In one direction from traffic travelling in the opPosite direction: - With the new September 1st daw, each Munieipality will have the authority to enaZi by-laws designatifig local school bus' loading Tones. In these loading zones, tbe school :bu; driver will not be permitted to ,flash the vehicle's ali'ernating rked lights, The loading zones will have identifying signs, apd can be located only on the same sidQ,of the road as a.school, or non -school facility often visited .by schoolchildren and Museum,; where many school bUs load§ of students' and teachers arrive from all over the area„ The sehool bus,driver cannot stop a bus to drop off or pick up school children on a road or highway opposite a designated' loading Zone. And at the zone, the bus,must be.as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway. A school bus is defined', under the High- ' way 'Traffic Act, as a bus used for the transportation of .children to and from school that: bears on the rear the words DO NOT, PASS WHEN SIGNALS FLASHING; carries two red signal lights en the rear and tWo red sign.al lightsion the fier(t)tnetr.,i ni sg rndinttreidmc,hroni, e yellow with black No bus other than a school bus may be " painted, chrome yellow. No motor elitcle other thana school bus may bear the Words :1DscOhonooltBpuass.,s, when signals flashing" or,