My grandmother has always been the matriarch
of my large family. With nine children, 18 grandchildren and
five great-grandchildren, she has lived a full life and has
always been an important figure. She had a stroke this past
July and it has left the family feeling helpless. This is not
because she can no longer live on her own or garden, it is the
fact she has been almost forgotten by the health-care
system.
After a short stay in the hospital to
recover, she was sent to a rehabilitation centre with only 28
beds. She was finally sent to the temporary care unit of the
Laurentian Hospital to await a nursing home.
I know that my grandmother is not the only
one in this situation. With the system in the north in such
critical situation, families are faced with the horror that
their loved ones may have to accept nursing beds on Manitoulin
Island because we are considered in the same district.
With the many baby boomers approaching old
age, it is important for us to address this issue before it is
too late and the health-care system is even more swamped with
patients in need of temporary and long-term care.
In every place my grandmother has been there
have been terrific caregivers, nurses and doctors. But they
cannot do their jobs and help as many people without proper
funding.
If we press this issue together maybe we can
make a difference for your grandparent, mother, father,
brother, sister, spouse or maybe even your child.
Alanna Negusanti
Greater Sudbury