Premier Christy Clark said she hadn香蕉视频直播檛 seen the little web attack ad that was released a couple of weeks ago by the B.C. Federation of Labour.
The 香蕉视频直播淕ame Over香蕉视频直播� spot imitates an early 香蕉视频直播淪uper Mario香蕉视频直播� video game, with a pixilated Clark in a pink hard hat hopping from photo op to photo op, collecting points for closing a school and understaffing a seniors香蕉视频直播� care home.
The school closing is a cheap shot, but the latter scenario hit home. We香蕉视频直播檝e heard the horror stories for years, with contract operators laying off all their staff to reincorporate or sell, elderly residents limited to one bath per week, drugs over-used to quiet residents, and injuries to caregivers from lifting frail elderly people.
With those working conditions, even keeping the staff that are funded has been difficult.
An additional $500 million was tucked into the BC Liberals香蕉视频直播� election budget in February, and retiring Health Minister Terry Lake rolled out the results last week. Over the next three years, that money will finance the hiring of 1,500 more staff, add ceiling lifts and wheelchairs, and create a 香蕉视频直播渞obust monitoring system香蕉视频直播� to make sure the money goes to patients, not profits.
The goal is to reach an average 3.3 hours per resident day from care assistants, physiotherapists and nurses, a goal recommended to the health ministry back in 2009.
Seniors香蕉视频直播� Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, who has proven to be a tough critic despite being Lake香蕉视频直播檚 appointee, summed up the changes from a resident香蕉视频直播檚 point of view.
香蕉视频直播淚t could mean that I can go to the bathroom within 15 minutes of asking, instead of 45.香蕉视频直播� Mackenzie said. 香蕉视频直播淚t might mean I can ask for a bath on Tuesday and get one, even though I had one on Saturday. It might mean I can get the aide to walk me to the dining room using my walker, rather than put me in a wheelchair, because that香蕉视频直播檚 the faster way to get me there.香蕉视频直播�
I gave NDP health critic Judy Darcy a hard time last week for putting union spin ahead of the public interest, but this time she香蕉视频直播檚 on the mark. Darcy made short work of Lake香蕉视频直播檚 claim that this extra funding had to wait for a new health transfer deal with Ottawa.
Darcy noted that those transfers have increased six per cent each year since Paul Martin was prime minister, while B.C. governments boasted of bending down the 香蕉视频直播渃ost curve香蕉视频直播� of health care.
And let the record show that the Justin Trudeau government did something right. It upheld the former Harper government香蕉视频直播檚 decision to reduce that unsustainable six-per-cent figure, while adding new money tied to home care.
With seniors living longer and the baby boom starting to retire and head west, home care is the only way B.C. will survive financially.
Mackenzie had more good news. About 85 per cent of people aged 85 and up still live independently in B.C. About half of them are supported at home despite complex needs that qualify them for residential care.
The new plan 香蕉视频直播渞ecognizes that many of the family caregivers caring for these weak seniors are stretched to the breaking point, and they need more relief to keep their loved one at home,香蕉视频直播� she said.
Meanwhile, the 香蕉视频直播渞ural paramedicine香蕉视频直播� program is extending to 70 communities, with part-time paramedics getting stable work doing home 香蕉视频直播渨ellness checks香蕉视频直播� to prevent emergencies. They also lead walking groups for frail seniors who wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 otherwise venture out for risk of injury.
Slowly, the post-war model of acute hospital care recedes, and just in time.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc
