AT - Wednesday. mailbox <] Alzheimer's disease: the long haul Dear Editor ] am responding to Mr. Franklyn Pew’s letter to the North Shore News re. Alzheimer’s disease and how he is managing the care of his wife, who has this disease. Mr. Pew, also expressed resentment with an article which appeared in the North Shore News recently, which described this disease as a ‘“‘funeral which continues from day to day.”’ Mr. Pew states that his wife was diagnosed two and one half years ago, so we may assume she is in the early stage. He also says he has professional help five days a week which enables him to keep her at home. Mr. Pew is indeed more fortunate than a great many of us who have dealt with, or are dealing with this dreadful problem. My husband died three years ago a victim of this disease. He lived at least thir- teen years after the onset and twelve of those years he was cared for at home. This is the usual pattern for famihes doing their best to cope with the physical care and mental stress of this tragedy. Not many of us can afford the kind of help that Mr. Pew has. Another point as the disease progresses, most pa- Co-op housing defended Dear Editor A few comments on your “right to a roof?’’ article. | am pleased to see that you and your ideological col- league Dr. Michael Walker have at least shifted some ground and are at least will- ing to accept the idea that in- come transfers will be necessary to protect low and fixed income renters. | don't think that is the best solution in the long term, but it is bet- ter that making people move which the Honourable James Hewitt was advocating not too many weeks ago. A strong and vocal tenants movement helped, | am sure, to illustrate the problems this sector of society faces. However, I notice that ‘*neo-conservative’’ fire is now directed at co-op hous- ing because of relatively isolated ‘’boondoggles’’ While it is true that when the Liberals take good social democratic ideas, they distort them; there is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water. Co-op housing should be socially mixed, otherwise ghettos can result. That means middle income earners will live in co-ops. And it ts true that co-ops are “*subsidised’”’ at various governmental levels. So what? It is about time middle income earners get a break. We pay the bulk of the taxes. The rich get a lot of breaks. The poor should get breaks for housing, etc. And middle income earners should get breaks too. Co-ops help in that department. Richard Blackburn President N.Shore Tenants Assn. Trudeau slandered Dear Editor Accusing Prime Minister Trudeau of being ‘‘high’’ on drugs is an obvious and very clumsy attempt to discredit his Peace Initiative, which, incidentally, might keep us all alive a while longer! It is both slanderous and totally without any basis in fact. A person who used drugs to “*get them going’’ displays several very distinctive characteristics, impossible for them to conceal. For in- stance, he or she, would have a terrific amount of ‘*energy’’ and probably boast about only requiring a few hours sleep. Move like a marionette with stuff, jerky movements (Hitler was a classic example of this). Tremendous mood swings would also be evident; one moment a raving bully, the next all smiles and waves. The world leader who displays all those telltale signs ts certainly not Mr. Trudeau, but rather the United States’ biggest ally, Prime Minister Thatcher, known affec- tionately in England as *‘Reagan’s Poodle'’’ Mrs. E. McDonald North Vancouver Rights were not denied Dear Editor I must refute the scnous allegation contained in the letter from lynn Block (83 11 16) The writer makes three references to her democratic nights and states that) hers were threatened or denied She has the mistaken idea that democratic mghts mean the right to do what one pleases and, of Course, that’s pot true But, even under her interpretation her rights were Free class with coupon. valid until Dec. 31, 1983. Fit ae | Tegfop not demed, since no effort was made to prevent her, or any other teacher, from crossing the picket lines The position of the Bur naby Teachers’ Associahion was, and is, that there should be no reprisals against members who crossed the picket lines during the recent teachers’ yob action ID Arcy Bader President, BIA TIME Of Day FREE Call 24 hours 669-2555 Er enge to Mage! ena hy Pa t on os a z re yt eel $ H ¢ het a REGISTER Now! 1731 MARINE DRIVE WEST VANCOUVER 926-8588 ulents become very fearful and suspicious of any one brought into the home. There are very few of us who place a loved one in in- sututional care except as a last resort — usually when they Start roaming at any hour of the day or night, forgetting their own names, walking in front of cars, or crossing streets against a red light. These are just a few of the problems | faced the last two to three years my hus- band remained at home. The first few years after the onset of Alzheimer’s disease can be relatively easy, it’s the last three or four which can be pure hell, and as the article in the North Shore News stated, it is in- deed a ‘‘funeral that con- tinues from day to day!’’ J know, | was there! Florence Huffman North Vancouver MILA a‘Scrooge’ Dear Editor Jack Davis’ holiday message (News, Dec. 18) to Vancouver Alderman Bill Yee's Race Relations Com- mittee makes our MLA ap- pear worse than Scrooge. Systematic discrimination has resulted in the exclusion of native people, handicap- ped and women among others from the best paid positions. Affirmative recruitment programs = can assure that the under- represented are made aware of job opportunities. Affirmative action need not mean hiring by quotas and it never means hiring the unqualified. Affirmative ac- tion can assure that hiring decisions are based on job duties rather than on the characteristics of those who now dominate the best jobs. David D. Schreck North Vancouver Classified 9896-62222 (unlined). C Happy complete w party tavours ot cut lowers I war aranaal O22 4iT7 vinta draperies by S. Laursen Custom Draperies. Bedspreads 1 Venetian. Vertical and Wooden Blinds ‘“‘In-home Service’’ FREE ESTIMATES GLADLY GIVEN All blinds 20% off list Labour per panel $5.50 $6.50 (IIned). FOR THE FINAL TOUCH Bam to6pm Monday thru Saturday call 987-2966 ee night out. Bouquet Mixed Bouquet ALL THE BEST IN THE NEW YEAR Seorvy no datlvery on theee tteme » WES VAN FLORIST 1821 Marine Drive, West Vancouver Corsages, boutonnieres, everything for the big nom LB°° 3°° + 822 3968 December 28, 1983 - North Shore News registration fee. Students will be billed for the balance of the tees, payable by ar 19. ENGLI +4 PLACEMENT The Capilano College English. Diagnostic. Test : ~©§=6will bo held: danuary: 3 . from: 10:00:to 12:00: agaln from: 19: 00 to 21°00, Jaquary 4 trom 13:00 to 15:00 and January 5 from: 10:00 to 12°00. Applicants wishing to take any tngish oF English as a Second Language course must have taken this of the English Placement Test. For detaits contact the Humanities Division, 986 1911 local 502 THERE ARE STILL OPENINGS IN the toltowing Business Management courses Microcomputer Applications Small Business Management Business Finance cabour Relations Basic Marketing Orgamzational Behaviour Accounting CAPILANO COLLEGE 2056 Purcell Way North Vancouver & Up the Hill from § the Coach House