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PAST Newsletters>
SUNBURST 10
July 1, 2007
President’s report
I was pleased to report at the Annual General Meeting that your Board of Directors has had success this past year in furthering the goals and objectives of you, the membership.
SUN’s public image has been increased at all levels in the province. We are an effective participant and advocate with Senior Organizations, Associations (such as AMA), with the Provincial Government and the Opposition parties.
We have worked hard to be included in discussions on Seniors Issues and to be a partner with Senior Organizations who share our goals and objectives.
We are making a difference. We are being heard, your voice is being raised to ensure Seniors participate equally and fairly in the prosperity of Alberta.
Your Board has made a conscious effort to be supportive in coordinating senior organizations efforts. To this end we became a member of a seniors coordinating organization called the “Circle of Chairs”. This group was formed to present a united front on seniors issues. This group consists of ten senior organizations of which SUN is one. It’s major goals are:
? Quality Public Home Care
? Quality affordable and accessible public senior care facilities
? Establishment of an Independent Seniors Advocate
It’s purpose is to coordinate the activities and direction of Senior Organizations in Alberta to develop a larger voice for seniors.
On March 11th, 2007 SUN participated with the Circle of Chairs in a meeting with Mr. Greg Melchin - Minister of Seniors and Community Supports & Mr. Dave Hancock – Minister of Health and Wellness. The group was well received and we were able to present initiatives around the theme “Alberta Seniors Deserve Better”. We are expecting to have a private meeting with Mr. Melchin in the near future as our request is on his desk.
Another issue we addressed during the year was the announcement by the government of a third way for health care. Your Board opposed this proposal and joined with other Senior groups to support a public campaign against the third way. Health Care is sacred to seniors and we must be vigilant to ensure our present system is not eroded. This is, in fact, one reason why SUN was created. We also, in May 2006 met with Iris Evans, then Minister of Health and Wellness to suggest the third way was not viable and to recommend that the government should concentrate on improving our existing system first.
During the PC leadership campaign, your Board prepared a well thought out questionnaire of 8 issues which was sent to all the candidates on July 16th, 2006 It was also sent to the Liberal, NDP and Alliance parties as a courtesy. We also requested a meeting to further discuss the questionnaire. Four candidates answered the questionnaire, one refused and we met with two candidates. This response was disappointing. It demonstrates the low priority given to seniors issues. We have a lot of work still to do to raise seniors’ profile to the level it deserves. We need to work harder to incorporate our needs into the Provincial Government planning process.
Your Board of Directors success depends, to a large extent on you. We are the elected Board but you are the members. You must believe in the need for SUN and support it. You must help SUN by bringing in new members. Your Board is only as strong as the members make it. I believe that the need for SUN has never been more acute.
Gordon Voth, SUN President
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Seniors United Now held their fourth Annual General Meeting on Tuesday April 17th, 2007 at St.Andrews Center in Edmonton. The new location had many positives, such as: layout, cost of renting, and services provided, the staff at St.Andrews Center were efficient and pleasant to deal with, they genuinely wanted our event to proceed as smoothly as possible. One drawback to this location was the limited parking lot although there was plenty of parking available in the local residential area.
Of concern to myself and your Board of Directors was the poor turnout of members at the AGM. Approximately 125 members attended and 200 are required to achieve a quorum. As a result of not having a quorum, SUN was not able to elect a new Board of Directors or have motions presented for approval. SUN Bylaws require the existing Board of Directors to continue to serve until replaced at a General Meeting of the society. Gordon Voth, Ireen Slater, Liz Allchin, Barrie Pratt, Denis Beaudry and Steve Eleniak all agreed to remain on the Board. Our Bylaws also allow the Board of Directors to accept resignations or to appoint new members to the board. The Board of Directors met on May 9th, 2007 and accepted the resignation of Harvey Voogd and appointed Frances Badrock and John Shaw to the board. We particularly want to thank John for accepting the position of Board Secretary. We are currently meeting a candidate to bring our complement to the required number of nine members.
It is the decision of the Board of Directors to hold a General Meeting of the society this fall, to address the issue of Board Quorums. It will be held in conjunction with a guest speaker who will be asked to address a current senior issue. I believe you will find it very interesting and informative. The Board would ask you to keep this event in mind and bring a friend. More information will be available on the website & in the next issue of SUNBURST.
The reports of the President, Treasurer and Executive Director were received as information. Following the reports was a question and answer session which was lively, yet respectful and constructive with many good comments being put forward to the Board of Directors. Following the adjournment of the meeting the members in attendance enjoyed coffee, tea & cookies while mingling with other seniors and participating in some competitive bidding on some of our interesting silent auction items.
Gordon Voth
SUN President
MEMBERSHIP Committee
Chairperson – Frances Badrock
THE SUCCESS OF AN ORGANIZATION IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE PASSION AND COMMITMENT OF ITS MEMBERS.
By becoming members of SUN, by being involved, you make a statement to our elected officials and society at large. You send the clear message that we all have a responsibility to be involved with our future and the future of generations to come. Encourage a friend or family member to make our voice larger.
WE ASK THAT EVERY MEMBER BE ALERT TO THE RECEIPT OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AND THAT YOU COMPLETE AND RETURN TO THE SUN OFFICE PROMPTLY.
TRANSPORTATION Committee
Chairperson – Liz Allchin
Over the last two years SUN has been involved with the broad issues of transportation. Initially we investigated issues around licensing practices. At that point our partnership began with the Alberta Motor Association (AMA). It became clear that the whole area of transportation was a serious challenge for the population as it ages. The AMA is not only concerned about driving but they also feel that what happens for those who no longer have access to personal transportation is a challenge that needs to be addressed.
For this reason we believe that working with the AMA is in the best interest of the seniors of this province. We were pleased that the survey of older people we initiated with input from you provided the AMA with valuable information enabling them to develop a strategy of action to raise awareness at the provincial level. In November 2006 we attended a roundtable conference dealing with transportation in the Edmonton Area sponsored through the Edmonton supported Seniors Council and the AMA. We are hoping to continue our link with the council as they develop strategies for seniors in the Edmonton area. Now the AMA has a newly appointed person Carolyn Gee who is specifically employed to work on their seniors’ strategy. We look forward to being part of the solutions to enable older people to remain independent in the community
GUEST COLUMN – Noel Somerville
A Good Time for Baby Boomers to Consider What the Future Holds
In April of this year, Ms. Vivien Lai, a senior policy advisor with Alberta Health and Wellness made a presentation at a symposium in Japan. Entitled “Alberta’s Continuing Care System”, this presentation outlined with scary candor the changes Alberta has been making and plans to make in light of an anticipated increase in the percentage of our provinces’ population aged 65 or older (from 10% in 2006 to 21% in 2030).
The first victim is the long-term care facility (nursing homes) that the government sees as a needlessly expensive way of caring for seniors. A few years ago, nursing homes provided full nursing, medication, personal care, rehabilitation and physiotherapy to disabled adults and ‘frail seniors’ — those who require help getting out of bed, toileting, getting dressed, getting to and from the dining room, feeding, administering medication, etc — all covered under Medicare.
The first step in dismantling this system is called “unbundling” and separates the costs of health and housing services. The presentation states “Individuals are responsible for paying fully their room and board costs in long-term care facilities. Since 2003, accommodation charges in nursing homes have been increased to reflect the actual costs of room and board so that those who can afford it have to pay the full cost.”
The second step has been to limit the number of available long-term care beds. The presentation states that we will need an additional 14,000 long-term care beds to meet the expected increase in the senior’s population, (a doubling of the current number of beds), but the government policy is to not expand to meet the growing demand. In fact, several locations in Alberta have converted long-term care facilities to “assisted living” in which even the medical care, beyond the restricted amount that RHAs provide as Homecare, is a billed ‘extra’. Operators of long-term care facilities have actually been paid to downgrade these facilities, thereby dispensing with the need for a staff of trained nurses.
This is all part of a so-called “aging in place strategy” specifically designed to lower the demand for long-term care beds, which are considered too expensive in operating and capital cost. Supposedly, this strategy “enables individuals with high health needs to receive services at home.” These ‘aging in place’ strategies are largely private-for profit operations catering to clients with the financial resources to fully absorb the cost of their own accommodation and health care needs.
For those not able to afford such costs, the proposed alternative to long-term care facilities is called the CHOICE program. This is described as “a community based day program aimed at reducing the use of long-term care beds and acute care hospital beds. The program is a day program, providing physician, nursing therapy and medication management services. Transportation buses usually pick up clients from their homes to go to the programs which are located in long-term care facilities.”
If any of this sounds familiar, perhaps you are remembering what Premier Klein called the ‘Third Way’, the key elements of which were:
• Sell off, demolish, or downgrade existing public health care facilities.
• De-list or ration some of the services previously covered under the national health care plan.
• Privatize the delivery of such discontinued services and the construction of new facilities.
• Open the market for private insurance companies to underwrite the costs of services no longer covered under Medicare.
While Alberta has abandoned the Third Way for delivery of health care, all of these same elements are now appearing in continuing care for seniors. Long-term care facilities are being converted to assisted living. The medical and personal care that a frail senior requires has largely become a de-listed service under Medicare, even though proper feeding, personal hygiene and administration of medication are medically necessary for frail seniors to sustain life. Most of the new seniors’ facilities are built and operated privately so that the operator recovers both operating and capital costs from the end user.
Finally, numerous insurers offer long-term care insurance. As the presentation states, “Alberta has hired a consulting firm to develop different scenarios for funding of health care services. This includes insurance programs for long-term care, drugs and non-urgent acute care cases.”
The presentation on “Alberta’s Continuing Care System” may not be of much concern to baby boomers who are healthy and wealthy.
However, the prospects for those who experience a slow, steady decline in physical and mental capabilities are terrifying. Nor is the future very bright for the children of those baby boomers who will look after them and who will be required to pay more and more for the care of their loved ones once the expected inheritance has been spent. (It costs around $5000/month for most families in the US who have a parent in a seniors care facility.)
The fact that you paid health care premiums and taxes all of your working lives so that you would be taken care of in your declining years doesn’t seem to square with government policy. They think you will be satisfied with unaffordable insurance for unavailable or unsatisfactory services.
Noel Somerville is Chair of the Seniors’ Task Force for Public Interest Alberta
Seniors United Now is pleased to be a participant of the Seniors Task Force.
SOMETIMES YOU GET WHAT YOU WISH FOR!
If wishes were horses then beggars would ride – - don’t wish your life away.
Haven’t we all heard such sayings so many times?
During seniors’ week the following wish list was provided to both local St.Albert newspapers
A SENIORS’ WEEK WISH LIST FOR SENIORS IN ST. ALBERT
-Lowering the Municipal Tax Burden -Encourage the media to raise issues for seniors
-Improve Transportation to meet evolving year round needs -Affordable Housing
-A more responsive City Council – Create a Seniors Advisory Board
-Improved Services to enable seniors to remain independent in the community
-Increase membership of the St Albert Chapter
For strength is in numbers to make these wishes come to fruition.
One of the wishes that I have been really passionate about for a couple of years is a Seniors Advisory Board. I believe that there must be a local grass roots line of communication between the older population in a provincial locality and those who represent the people who live there. This could open up so much for older people, enabling us to be heard and creating an information highway. I know that the City of Edmonton has such a system in place and the County of Strathcona is developing one. What is happening in your area – what are your local issues? Remember municipal elections are taking place in the fall. We are hoping to organize St Albert forums for local candidates.
In fact I was very interested by a comment reported from a current member of St Albert council in one of the Seniors’ Week articles.
We are very well aware of what concerns seniors…seniors are not afraid to be vocal in making their positions heard.
Yet in a recently released report for the City of St Albert by Family and Community Support Services it identified possible future strategies:-
To determine clearer the need for streamlined information services for seniors, including means of communicating timely and efficiently with seniors…..
To consider strategies of ensuring the voice of seniors continues to be heard at a grassroots level within the community.
I would be really interested to hear what your issues are and how your community addresses them. I wish you all a healthy, safe and happy summer.
Liz Allchin
Liz is the Current Vice President of SUN, & Chair of SUN Advocacy Committee
Vice-Chair of St.Albert Chapter-Publicity Spokesperson St.Albert Chapter
Communications to Liz can be directed to the SUN Office.
Crime Prevention Tips for Seniors
Personal safety and crime prevention tips apply to all regardless of age. However there are some things seniors can do to further reduce their likelihood of being victimized.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Walk only in well-lit areas. Do not burden yourself with packages and a bulky purse. Never display large sums of money in public. Go shopping in pairs or in a group. Walk in the centre of the sidewalk, away from alleys and doorways. If you suspect you are being followed, cross the street, go to the nearest home, service station or business and call the police.
AT HOME
Keep valuables in a safety deposit box at your bank. If this is not possible, keep them locked in a hiding place in your home. Mark valuable items for identification. Don't keep large amounts of cash at home.
Get to know your neighbours.
FRAUD AWARENESS
Always inspect the credentials of anyone who contacts you or comes to your door. Contact the police and your bank if anyone claiming to be a bank examiner contacts you and asks for your assistance.
Never leave strangers unattended in your home. Be cautious of "just passing by" home repairmen offering repair work at a savings. Check the offer first with the Better Business Bureau, Alberta Government Services Consumer Information Centre or a reputable repair company. Never sign a contract that you have not read or do not fully understand. Before investing money, get a second opinion from a spouse, friend, financial advisor or lawyer. Avoid suspicious contests, travel club offers, retirement estates offered "sight unseen" and telephone solicitation.
Contact the crime prevention section of your local police service to further explore safety options.
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