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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, June 16, 2010 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 --Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager Situation critical There's absolutely nothing `golden' about being a senior citizen without a place to call home. In Ontario, one of the most vulnerable segments of our population is being made to feel like a burden on society. Frequently dumped on a health care system that simply isn't equipped to deal with their numbers, many frail seniors who need long-term care are being forced to wait -- on average for more than three and a half months or 109 days -- before being placed in one of more than 600 government-funded homes. Today's Oakville Beaver features the first in a four-part Metroland series about the growing crisis in long-term care. While a recent provincial initiative to care for more seniors through improved home support was supposed to alleviate the pressure on hospitals and long-term care homes, the number of seniors on waiting lists has more than doubled to 25,000 since 2005, while the average provincial wait time for a nursing home bed has skyrocketed from 49 to 109 days since 2007. Then, when long-term care spaces do become available, less than 40 per cent of Ontario seniors are being placed in their first choice of homes. Inefficient systems for placing seniors from hospital to long-term care facility are being blamed for further exacerbating an already dismal situation. It gets worse. In some cases, hospitals in dire need to free up acute-care beds occupied by seniors the health system calls "bed blockers," are resorting to high-pressure tactics -- including threatening to charge per diem rates -- in order to push seniors out of hospital and into nursing homes not of their choosing and in unfamiliar communities. Some who advocate on behalf of seniors believe the actions of some hospitals are unethical, possibly even illegal. Making matters worse, across the province there's no consistency in the way hospitals are treating Ontario seniors awaiting the rare opening at a long-term care facility. The province, meanwhile, remains hopeful that it can keep more seniors at home longer through a commitment toward improved in-home care. If a society can truly be judged on the way it treats its elders, Ontario should be ashamed. People who have worked hard all their lives, raised families, dutifully paid their taxes and have contributed their time and talents toward the betterment of society deserve a chance to live out their final years in the community they call home. Anything less deprives a significant portion of our population from the right to be treated with respect and to live out their final days in dignity. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council.The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206,Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981.Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Letter to the editor Garage sale was labour of love Saturday morning started at 7 a.m. as I planned to attend a special garage sale, which was being held at 8 a.m. The proceeds from the sale were to help a young man with his schooling as he had just lost his mother. Theoretically this young man was alone, but in practice it was a different story. On arrival at the sale, the first person I met was Julian, a 13-yearold boy. I could hardly see through my tears as this mannerly young man said, "Thanks for coming." We shared a few moments together and then Julian was off helping someone carry their stuff. As I walked around the garage sale and picked up some things, I found myself at the table of a pleasant lady selling coffee and cakes. She gave me the prices and since I felt honoured to be in the presence of such caring individuals, no amount of money would have been enough. I wish I had more to give to such a worthy cause. At the garage sale, I also met Julian's Big Brother, a volunteer with the Halton Big Bothers Big Sisters association -- Wayne, who (with his wife) has cared for Julian since his mother passed away. At around the same time I also met the lady (Kathleen Finnegan) and her friends, who put this garage sale together. It was a true labour of love. May Oakville never lose the community spirit that I witnessed Saturday morning. God bless all the folks involved in the garage sale. To Julian, you are a very fine young man and even though I didn't know your mother, I am sure she would be very proud of you and equally proud of her friends and neighbours. ELIZABETH LAVINIA COARD, OAKVILLE Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via email to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Letter writer didn't disclose political affiliation My name is Peter Turkington. I am the president of the Oakville Federal Conservative Electoral District Association. I mention this up front as full disclosure. Something letter writer David Everitt did not do in his letter to the editor entitled Reader provides Oakville MP with inside scoop, Oakville Beaver, June 9. A quick internet search revealed that Mr. Everitt is the membership chair of the Oakville Liberal Riding Association. I've included a link to its website membership page where Everitt's name and contact information are listed -- http://www.oakvilleliberal.ca/membership.html. In his letter, Everitt talks of non-partisan discussion, but his comments certainly seem partisan. I wonder if the 10, or so, people he's talked to are the members of his riding association executive. As a business consultant specializing in corporate communications, I often speak on behalf of clients or arrange interviews on their behalf. In all cases I provide a context for my communications. The writer should have presented himself as a member of the Oakville Liberal Association's board of directors in his letter. PETER TURKINGTON, PRESIDENT, OAKVILLE FEDERAL CONSERVATIVE ELECTORAL DISTRICT ASSOCIATION Heart goes out to parents during inquest I have been closely following the Oakville Beaver's excellent coverage of Sara Carlin's inquest and have been moved to tears several times. As a parent I commend the Carlin family for courageous spirit and tenacity for seeking the truth. The process is obviously heart wrenching, however, the Carlins' desire to prevent this terrible situation from happening to others outweighs the price of their privacy and pain. What a wonderful gift they are giving in honour of Sara's life. IRENE HARMGARDT, OAKVILLE