4- Friday, August 4, 1995 — North Shore News Seniors to . Housekeeping UPSET SENIORS say the loss of their government-funded “housekeeping help has: left’ them wondering who will do ~ the choresthey can't do. By lan Noble News Reporter ” One widow, 73-year-old Cynthia Wilson, worries she may. lose her budgie Fred because she can't keep - his cage clean, Once..a week a housecleaner went. to’ Wilson's West Vancouver’ apartrnent to change the sheets, clean the bathroom’ and kitchen, vacuum and clean Fred's cage. -: «Wilson, who had_a ‘stroke. that ~ Makes her right arm hang limply. . aid she has no idea how she will get her home cleaned after losing .. housekeeping. services. - Eighty-eight-year-old Rosina "Bradley added she is capable of : doing some cleaning, but! needs housekeeping help. “You haven't the same energy when you get’ old,” Bradley said. “I” “hate to be a nuisance and {don’t ‘like to complain but I do feel Justi-. * fied.” >. 150 North Shore seniors who ‘have fost their housekeeping services. . Medical Health” Officer Brian : ‘O'Connor said North Shore Health’ : is trying to allocate its resources to: ; ‘take care of those most 'in need.’ i “There are limited resources and: we. have to: use them, the best way we can,” he said. VA: similar ‘financial. squeeze is being «felt : in’. regions, throughout ’ B.C:; O'Connor. said.: . re Seniors receiving care aré. bro- e ket into’ three groups: ‘personal ; care, intermediate care and extend: . Om hase: recei ing fesona ‘Resources will instead go to oth- : ‘who’? are more. in need of se e’re' not trying to claw back’. Or Connor, . Wilson. and Bradley are two, of ; services axed taken away from anyone who will require hospitalization or end up in a facility as a result of losing house- keeping services. North Shore Health long-term care case managers will follow set criteria to determine which of their clients lose the service, O'Connor said. Vo O'Connor said he hopes the “informal support network,” includ- ing family, friends and neighbors, : will clean for the seniors. But Barbara Kroon, of the North Shore ‘Home Support - Services Society, said 80%.of such services are already provided by that infor- mal support network. - The'non-profit society is one of the agencies that offers support pro-: grams to assist people to live as independently as possible in their home. The society's home support workers are more than housekeep- ers, Kroon said. They: keep. an eye, on seniors, making sure. seniors are eating, maintaining their mobility, and are not becoming. .confused, said Kroon. © They also provide social interac- tion for many seniors. ‘Kroon added thatthe govern- ment’s new policy goes against the Ministry . of Health's’ New Directions goal of providing care in- the home when possible. She said many factors point to the need .for. more home support workers: : @ hospital beds are closing: " @ the population is aging: a, @ hospitals are trying to hold the’ line on admissions; , §8 people heal better at home: @ stress on care givers... Cutting. the relatively © inexpen- - sive end of services such as house- ', keeping is shortsighted and will be more costly in the: long Tun, ‘she said, us Although North Shore Home Support Services Society must look at laying off home support workers, : Kroon downplays that issue. '- The society’s primary concern is to keep people living at home, not provide : more, hours ° ‘of work for - Society employees, she said. The laser tag g game. Laser Pistols, Power Packs and a Computerized Printout of your score. » Big f in for the whole dari family! 5.78 : wows OPEN TO 9:0 PM MONDAY To SATURDAY | After matt hours use _outdeor entrance - ) 926-5615 Freedom to choose. 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