Premier Christy Clark said she hadn含羞草研究社檛 seen the little web attack ad that was released a couple of weeks ago by the B.C. Federation of Labour.
The 含羞草研究社淕ame Over含羞草研究社� spot imitates an early 含羞草研究社淪uper Mario含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社� care home.
The school closing is a cheap shot, but the latter scenario hit home. We含羞草研究社檝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含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社渞obust monitoring system含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社� Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, who has proven to be a tough critic despite being Lake含羞草研究社檚 appointee, summed up the changes from a resident含羞草研究社檚 point of view.
含羞草研究社淚t could mean that I can go to the bathroom within 15 minutes of asking, instead of 45.含羞草研究社� Mackenzie said. 含羞草研究社淚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含羞草研究社檚 the faster way to get me there.含羞草研究社�
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含羞草研究社檚 on the mark. Darcy made short work of Lake含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渃ost curve含羞草研究社� of health care.
And let the record show that the Justin Trudeau government did something right. It upheld the former Harper government含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渞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,含羞草研究社� she said.
Meanwhile, the 含羞草研究社渞ural paramedicine含羞草研究社� program is extending to 70 communities, with part-time paramedics getting stable work doing home 含羞草研究社渨ellness checks含羞草研究社� to prevent emergencies. They also lead walking groups for frail seniors who wouldn含羞草研究社檛 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
