A Change of heart about cancellation.
I will now exercise the option of changing my mind after looking at the decline in numbers of readers that access the website www.robertgordonca.com that features The My Canada Blog. I intend to continue weekly blogs under the heading of #My Canada to express personal thoughts and those of people I associate with in the community, during telephone conversations, morning social meetings, through internet contacts both in emails and social media site. So from the prospective I shall publish this week’s column under the original My Canada heading.
Some readers might feel this week’s first topic of conversation is partisan political posturing. In reality the subject is a fact of life in Canada. Everyone is aware it is difficult to find a popular TV program, listen to radio, or simply access internet sites without having a Government of Canada advertisement surface. There is little doubt watchers listeners and internet surfers need to know about government offered programs. The intensity of the advertising and probable cost seem prohibitive. According to some analysts the ads reflect the need for publicity by the Conservative government and might be more ethical if paid for through party funds. In that way the ending rather than announcing the ad reflects the government “Action Plan” could announce the programs are brought to citizens by the Harper Government. But then that approach would probably get an adverse reaction from the Conservative party base. The CPC reaction would likely be far less than the opposition parties crying foul. The idea is probably too blatantly political for any government party to attempt and that is why the ads claim to originate with government departments instead of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) or Conservative Party of Canada. The voters can expect a great deal more taxpayer funded spending by all parties as the 2015 Federal election nears with the traditional drive for political power. Would it not be refreshing if that kind of spending was directed to solidifying the long term health and senior pensions, or even upgrading the disintegrating and rapidly aging Canadian infrastructure? At least that is the reasoning of some morning coffee drinkers.
The next item for discussions is about healthcare. With all seniors health care is of utmost importance. Aging just naturally brings health challenges from the most serious to parts replacement and dealing with family health crises. Talk usually centers on either the stellar health care received at hospitals or disappointment with something that happened. When the person or persons involved receive successful treatment the conversation is usually about how well the situation was handled, the care shown my medical practitioners and hospital staff.
Conversely when the situation turns bad the person affected often expresses criticism. Sometimes it seems the critics have valid points. That is especially true when a family member is sent home while suffering the final throes of a fatal illness and support the hospital believes is available from family does not materialize or the people involved are too traumatized to respond as should normally be the case when the dying person is a close relative.
Research show a couple of issues currently happening in the health care field are probably a big part of the problem. Wait time solutions for hospital care and doctor appointments as promised by every level of government when seeking office in the past couple of decades has not materialized. Huge administrative behemoths with exceptionally high paid leaders and support staff are seriously eroding the care. Statistics indicate front line professions and support staff needed to serve and care for the ever increasing and longer living seniors is severely short staffed. The situation coupled with a lack of both senior facilities and the fact patients with some less debilitating illness that should ordinarily stay in their own homes often finds support spotty and unsatisfactory. Again analysts point to the fact many service organizations are staffed with high paid CEO’s, managers and administrative staff while the front line workers are overwhelmed. Many doctors and the organizing professionals trying to solve the situation feel the problem is fixable and are working diligently to set up organizations to deal with the escalating problem.
Many of those affect have remarked that the new doctor clinic format taking hold similar to the Northeastern Ontario Medical Organization NEOMO in Sudbury that claims to treat up to 10,000 patients annually is a good partial solution. NEOMO publicity claims that five doctors operating in the offices together with students from the Northern Medical Program attached to Laurentian University are treating that many patients.
The orphan patient system that reduces patient wait times putting patients in the care of doctors for treatment and is another step forward. There are probably many other organizations such as neighbourhood medical after hour clinics and probably many more that help to reduce patient wait times.