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Local resident concerned about care facility food

Fresh, homemade healthy best for local patients well-being

To the editor:

This is an open letter to MLA Donna Barnett, Health Minister Terry Lake, 100 Mile House mayor and Cariboo Regional District chair Al Richmond, NDP Critic for Agriculture and Food Lana Popham and (there is no Ministry of Food ... hmm?)

While my father lay dying in Fischer Place last year, surrounded by some very exceptional care, we were forced to square off with doctors, administrators and social workers, to advocate for blood. Literally.

Now, we will square off over food.

Interior Health has recently reduced the kitchen duties of the South Cariboo Health Centre. The staff will no longer be cooking, only warming and serving approximately 300 meals per day.

I have been a patient, and I have benefited from the good work that was done in this kitchen. The soup helped save my life.

Simple.

There are agendas being implemented by Interior Health that are eroding the existing infrastructure and services that the residents of the area have built over the last 50 years. Good jobs, contributing to the economic and personal health of the citizens of our community, are being compromised.

The first building block of good health is good food.

This is an assault; harm is being done.

Whether the rationale is to reduce costs, break unions, or privatize operations, the result will cost the community jobs, and the patients and clients of the 100 Mile District General Hospital, Fischer Place, and Mill Site Lodge will pay with their health and quality of life.

If the administrative decisions of Interior Health are threatening this community’s well-being, then the South Cariboo Health Centre needs to be returned to the people of the South Cariboo.

Interior Health needs to answer for this publicly. We need to hear from our MLA, who has been a stalwart supporter of the South Cariboo Health Centre.

Local government – is this Senior Friendly?

What good can come out of withholding freshly prepared food from people who are not well and/or in the last stages of their life?

 

Gus Horn

100 Mile House