By Doreen Marion Gee

My favorite word is "Respect" because it covers the whole gamut of dignified treatment. Respectful treatment seems most important for people who are in a compromised or vulnerable position, like our elderly citizens. Many of our seniors are feeling a lack of respect from our provincial government when it comes to decisions being made regarding care homes. Beds are being closed to make way for more private "for - profit" ones and residents feel that they are not being properly consulted or notified. VIHA defends their actions by saying that the closures are absolutely necessary for many reasons including patient safety, staff shortages, and the fact that some present facilities do not meet standards for modern patients and staff. For elderly people, however, moves are extremely stressful and hard on them and their families. At a recent meeting in James Bay hosted by Carole James and Rob Fleming, people were able to voice their dissatisfaction. However, no VIHA officials attended to hear their complaints.

It was a full turnout on July 7, 2008, at James Bay New Horizons. People came to hear our Leader of the Opposition and Mr. Fleming talk about this issue and to ask them questions. They were concerned about VIHA's announcement that it will be closing 350 publicly - run beds and opening up 605 new beds in private for - profit facilities. A hot - button issue was the total closure of Cowichan Bay Lodge, where residents were not given adequate notice to deal with a very stressful and difficult move. James spoke about her two private members bills that promise more respect for seniors. The "Representative for Seniors Act" will create an independent advocate to work on behalf of seniors and their families and report publicly. The second bill is "The Community Care and Assisted Living Act Amendment Act" and will make the system more accountable by ordering random annual inspections of facilities which will be posted on the Internet for anyone to read. According to James we have to keep our facilities public because once they are privatized, FOI requests cannot be done to ensure accountability.

Rob Fleming stressed how important it is for seniors and families to have information and sometimes they are the last to know about changes that severely impact their lives. He referred to the care homes as just "cost - cutting centres" where the seniors are treated "as units." To Fleming, it is "disrespectful" to seniors to put them through the great stress of moving to a new facility without consultation or adequate notice.

There were unsettling stories from people in the audience who felt that their loved ones were not being well served in some VIHA facilities. The shift from non - profit public beds to private facilities is a worry to Sandra Giesbrecht of the Health Employees Union. Patients in privately run care homes will pay for anything ' extra ' like baths, cutting toe nails, special diets and more.

As a former co - chair of the South Island Health Coalition and a volunteer for the Seniors' Entitlement Service, Carol Pickup is well - informed on seniors' healthcare issues. Pickup spoke at the July 7 meeting and in a follow – up call, she expressed her concern that the BC government is abandoning the principles of the Health Care Act. According to Pickup, problems at Beacon Hill Villa are the direct results of it being run by a private company, Retirement Concepts. She says a big problem is that members of our Health Boards are not elected, but appointed by government. To her, real accountability involves a board elected by the community.

People want to be consulted - they want to know what is going to happen way before it actually takes place. They want to know all the ramifications of serious shifts in their lives. It's called respect. The July 7 meeting was all about this missing ingredient and how important it is for our leaders to put it back on the table.

Photos by Diana Smardon