1981-82 Report to the North Shore Community ANNUAL MEETING Wednesday, September 1, 1982 6:30 P.M. North Vancouver Recreation Center In order to be eligible to vote and participate in the Annual General Meeting, you must renew your membership prior to the t of the meeting on September 1, 1982 A number of the 1981 82 membership cards show an incorrect exptry date of September 2, 1982 as a result of the changeover to a new membership year system. In spite of the September 2, 1982 date, these cards will have expired and the membership must be renewed no later than the beginning of the Annual General Meeting on September 1. 1982 in order to be eligible to vote To avotd unnecessary delays, please try to renew member ships at the hospital betorehand for more information please call 9B8 3131, Local 201 In a voting procedure change tntroduced this year, ho nominations are permitted from = the floor and all candidates will be known prior to the meeting On September Ist the Chairman will convene the meeting at 6 30 pm and will immediately declare a recess until 7 30 pm This will permit a one hour period for members who wish to cast thetr votes, but are unable to remain for the balance of the meeting After the meeting ts reconvened, the regular business will be conducted Candidates will be given an opportunity to speah and those members attending the full meeting will be able to vote after heartng the candidates Meeting the needs of the community Hospitals are not all alike. Ideally, each one evolves to meet the needs of the commumity it serves. The success of this evolution depends in a large part on the foresight and planning of the hospitals administration and board of directors and the support of the community. Among other responsibilities, Lions Gate Hospital must meet the needs of an aging population. The latest census figures show that the number of persons in Canada over the age of 64 is increas tng at three times the rate of the total population and has reached 9.7 per cent. The average age on the North Shore ts higher than the national average. In West Vancouver 20 per cent of the population ts over 64 This ts an important factor in anticipating the health care needs of the community. An aging population means a hospital ts Hely to require more medical beds The average length of stay in hospital for patients over 64 ts 30 days three times that of other patients so pressure on available beds will increase The for long term care facilities will continue to grow Many of our most entrenched stereotyped views involve aging and the elderly It often comes as a surprise to leam that less than five per cent of this age group ts tnstitutiona lized Another five per cent live in the Community with some hetp such as home care sertoes and the rest are managing om thetr own on with families But as the proportion of elderly tn our soctety grows so does the need for a range of tacilities fur those people who can not continue to live Independently At one end of this range are the extended care units which, at thet best, provide a final home with constant nurstng care while at the same time enabling the residents to remain a part of the larger commmnmity As much as possible a home The LGH Extended Care Unit celebrated its tenth anm versary by renaming ttself E House. This fall work will begin on a needed 125 bed addition to the unit to be completed tn 1 The bright open plan features gas fire places and wheelchair paths throughout the surrounding grounds for the enjoyment of the residents Although all placements tn the untt go through the Ministry of Health's Central Registry, the list of those indicating F vergreen touse C9 - Sunday, August 29, 1982 - North Shore News SARL DO ABE APE PNELERP PSEA SEEMS PEEL IEPIEBLEL LDL ILS LINN SSSI as their first choice numbers more than 300, the longest waiting list in the province. This means that the additional beds are already filled, even before construction begins. The average waiting period for Evergreen House is now 30 months for men and 22 months for women. To qualify for extended care a patient must require nursing care on a full time basis, be unable to walk and be in stable medical condition. Aithough the majority of residents in Evergreen House are elderly, the unit can accept anyone over the age of 14 years. When the unit opened 10 years ago the average age of the residents was 71 years. It is now 82 years with four centenarians making their home at Evergreen House Geriatric medicine and care is a relatively new field but an increasingly important one By emphasizing the total well being of the patient, the multidisctplined team at Evergreen House -— including physicians, nurses, social workers, occupational and physical therapists, pharmacists and dieti tlans — have made advances in compassionate, efficient extended care Evergreen House’s medication is an example of the programs they are has been studied as a model by other ext care units The reduction tn prescribed drugs coupled with special training for the attending nurses has resulted tn more alert and active residents and an exceptionally low drag per patient per day cost Meeting the physical, emotional and mental needs of extended care residents ts demanding work Programs to provide stimulation must be built onto the nursing component and Evergreen House ts fortunate tn its enthu siastic and innovative team Fach resident receives a tull assessment three times a year from the entire team and close liaison with the family doctor ts maintained Programs such as handicrafts, baking, discussions over the daily news paper and physical exercises provide enjoyment for the resi dents and ongoing assessment for the team Plans for the tall tnchude weeldy visits from the children of an after school day care centre and sessions with musk therapy students trom Capilano College Many individuals and groups help | vergreen House resi dents matntain contact with the community Volunteers accompany residents on outings, picnics, shopping tips and to concerts and plays The gift this year of a specially equipped seven ~ckchatr bus from the North Shore and Hlowe Sound Zone Royal Canadian Legion and Ladies Auailiaries has made the residents even more mobile and adventurous f very Wednesday evening the West Van corver Legion, Branch 60, helps the residents host o Happy Hour for fiends and relatives