Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Stephen Harper and the Shabby Treatment of Our Seniors



It was just a small story but it really bothered me. And it made me fear for this country's future.

For just like I can't stand the way the brutish Harperite cult treats our veterans.

I cannot countenance living in a Canada where our seniors are treated like this. 

For that's not just an assault on the health of old people, it's an assault on their dignity. It makes you wonder how many others are being treated that way.

And what I fear the most is that it's just a harbinger of worse things to come.

Because as the President of the Canadian Medical Association noted recently, despite the best efforts of our medicare system, many seniors aren't getting the help they need, and many of our hospitals are in gridlock. 



Code Gridlock means that the hospital is so full that patients can't move. Patients in emergency can't go upstairs to a bed because the beds are full. Sometimes ambulances can't offload patients into ER because it is packed - even in the hallways. Elective surgeries are cancelled. Transfers from the region are put on hold. Patient flow, as we call it, has ground to a halt.

Mostly because too many seniors are being cared for where they don't belong.



These are patients who no longer require acute care and for allintents and purposes are able to leave the hospital. More to the point – they should be leaving the hospital – not only because the beds are needed by others but because the hospital is, frankly, a toxic environment for patients who have chronic but not acute disease.

As a society, we need to step up investment in long-term care and invest much, much more in services for home and community care.

But we don't have enough decent places to move them to, or the resources to keep them in their own homes as long as possible, because we don't have a national seniors strategy. Even though we are facing a demographic tsunami.

Canada’s 5.2 million seniors represent almost 15 per cent of the population but account for almost half of all health costs.

By 2036, the 65-plus group will account for a quarter of the population, and those over 85 will quadruple. If nothing changes in our health system, seniors will account for 59 per cent of our health costs in 2031.


Which not only threatens the health and dignity of older Canadians...



But also the very survival of our medicare system.

And the reason we don't have a national seniors strategy is because Stephen Harper is shamelessly abdicating his reponsibility.

He is refusing to meet with the Premiers, or enforce national standards, even though that can only make the problem worse.

The problem is that the continued effectiveness of medicare depends on federal leadership. Only Ottawa can establish pan-Canadian standards that ensure provinces aren’t pitted against each other. Otherwise, any jurisdiction that might choose to privatize, for instance, would very likely siphon talent from the other provinces. 

Moreover medicare will have to be reformed to keep pace with medical and demographic change, lest quality erode. If a central government doesn’t oversee that change, then the provinces and territories will — in 13 different directions, resulting not only in fragmentation but profound inequities.

Because as I've warned so many times before, he's more interested in killing or privatizing our medicare system, than reforming it. 

No matter how much human suffering he causes...



Because he's just a rabid ideologue who knows that there is no better way to change this country beyond recognition. Or destroy the kinder gentler Canada he hates so much.

And the good news? People like me who care for and love seniors, and believe they have a right to live in health AND dignity, will not let him get away with it.

We will use all of this against him in the next election. Use it also to convince more older Canadians to vote against him rather than for him,

His monstrous cruelty will condemn him.

And if there is any justice, it will help destroy him...



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12 comments:

Unknown said...

Well Simon you are right on the money again if i can use that tired worn out clique? I was injured by an old white Harper supporter I did nothing wrong I was merely riding my mountain bike in front of his forty acre property. He came out on to the public right of way and slammed my head to the ground. Um no understanding these Harper flag wavers...

Unknown said...

Stephen hates seniors that are not rich and do not support the con clowns...

e.a.f. said...

Seniors do require better care and the country does need a strategy, but that costs money and money means higher taxes and no one is going to buy into that. The average taxpayer doesn't think they will get old and need care. Corporations don't want to pay more taxes, and will ensure they don't have to. Paying for care is not on the horizon.

In B.C. most of the senior's housing is privitized. The wages are low and the care, well it depends. Many of those in ECUs don't need to be there. They would do better at home, with support care but that isn't going to happen. There is no provisions for it, unless you are willing to pay.

People who are sick and/or old are going to be warehoused in the most cost effective manner possible. The government will hope they die soon and hey, most of them don't vote, so who in government really cares. Perhaps the cons will even see their way clear to "end of life" legislation, which they oppose, but hey it might save them some big bucks. Do you want to be warehoused or do you want to take liquid cool aid?

Unknown said...

e.a.f. you ever lived in one of those so called senior hosing "units" in BC? They suck big time my friend you want to leave quicker than you came no shit been there done that and am ashamed of my BC government who's leader spends over a quarter of a million dollars a year in travel. Now her Energy Minister Bill phoney baloney Bennett also shares the prize for air miles So now we are talking a half of a million that could help seniors but no these politicians must travel in "style" .

http://langleylec.blogspot.ca/2013/01/air-christy-flights-top-250000.html

How about mister zero energy minster

http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2014/02/07/BennettBill/ ?

Um I think believe we are being had. So there is a a half a million that could have gone to help the disabled or elderly but no these politicians feel royal and don't give a dam about their constituents.

Um this is Christy's Clarks preferred mode of travel what you have to be at least a millionaire to find this airline owned by are you ready Louie brothers that inherited London Drugs...

Um No Shit...

http://www.londonair.ca/

Simon said...

hi mogs...I can't believe that even a Con could do that and hope to get away with it. Couldn't you charge him with something? My last cycling disaster happened when I had to swerve to avoid a dog as big as a bear that was happily chasing a ball. I was furious at its owner because I really scraped my knee badly, and was bleeding all over the place. And it's lucky I had my helmet on because my head hit the bicycle path with a thud. But of course, being such a huge dog lover, I couldn't blame the canine...;)

Simon said...

hi mogs...yes you're right, he panders to the wealthy but has as much respect for poor seniors as he has for veterans. The man it must be said is nothing but a callous two-faced monster...

Simon said...

hi e.a.f...actually as the CMA president pointed out in his excellent presentation, it's not really a question of more money. It's more a question of breaking old habits, and coming up with new ideas. In Scotland for example doctors and nurses and therapists etc visit seniors in their homes, so they can remain in their homes where they are the happiest, and not take up an expensive hospital bed. I personally know some doctors who have some very good ideas, but as I said old ideas die hard. And we will have to be smarter and more creative, or we will face a tidal wave of misery. The way I see it, a country that can't take proper care of its most vulnerable citizens, is not much of a country...

e.a.f. said...

mogs, that was my point, the places vary as to "livability". much has to do with how much you are willing to pay. At $10K a month its very nice. At $3K its sort of o.k. anything less, its not so great. At $6K its good.
el gordo started the privitization process both in general hospitals and care facilities. its been down hill all the way since then. The current crop of b.c. lieberals have permitted care homes to be bought and sold by corporations who then fire unionized staff and re hire them at little more than min. wages. That is one of the reasons B.C. has such a high child poverty rate.

Yes, I know all about B.C. I learned about it as a child in the 1950s and in B.C. it just gets worse and worse. This current crop of "lieberals" is making old WACie look good.

Simon is quite correct, saying it isn't all about more money but new ideas, but new ideas will put politicians friends out of business and that just can't happen in B.C. A lot of money has gone into building and buying care homes and having government contracts.

In some parts of B.C. there are little to no services for those who wish to remain in their homes. Many areas in B.C. do not have hospice care, the list goes on. If it doesn't involve big business and low salaries for workers, it pretty much doesn't happen in B.C.

Unknown said...

Talk to me e.a.f. they sold BC rail to their friends um the Lieberals that is they sold off the liqueur distribution to their rich friends the liebrals are bankrupting BC Hydro so their rich contributors to their campaign war chest can buy it for pennies on a thousand dollar bill. Next on the acuion block is BC Ferries. These people are psycotic and do not represent the consituents at all.

Anyways e.a.f. I allways love your well thought out posts here and @ Owens and Alisons cheers and the best of the New Year to you my freind!

Unknown said...

Yes Simon I got his lily white red neck ass took him to BC Provincial court where he was found guilty as charged of Aggravated Assault then registered a civil law suit in BC Supreme Court where the red neck Harper like chicken shit ass licker settled "out of court" then I quickly moved to a friendly location where there are less red necks... And I can ride my bike in peace...

If I was not wearing my Bell Bicycle Helmet I would be dead today I still have it I call it my trophy helmet believe it or not because it will always remind me of the... well you know eh? The right side of the helmet is totally smashed in. I keep it as the reminder of these um what do you call them?

And the dog should have been on leash that is the law even out west. At least you were not seriously injured I woke up in the hospital and stayed for two weeks. No fun...

e.a.f. said...

mogs, I would suggest the real money is in the gambling industry here in B.C. Selling the B.C. Ferries maybe a bit over the top for even the lieberals.
There are subsidies for gambling companies, well tax thingies and such and then there is that nice system of walking into a casino, buying chips with cash, then walking up to the till again and having the chips converted to a nice legal cheque and getting on an airplane for parts known or unknown. Now of course if you or I walk into a bank with a cheque over $9K there are all sorts of reporting and questions, but walk into any casino in B.C. with $50K or $100K or a couple of hundred K in cash, chips, etc. you walk out with a nice legal type cheque, with no questions asked. That is where the really money is: gambling. well and arms, its still the biggest money maker in the world. When you think about it, a gun stolen in B.C. made it to Edmonton, where a person bought it and killed 7 people.

Unknown said...

e.a.f. yes gambling also you are on the spot my man arms sales out do all else as far as revenue is concerned.

However having said that I wish you the best New Year you have ever had let us hope it is a Harper/con free year eh? And maybe we can rid ourselves of the Crusty Clark Lieberals?