Editor:
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) chair Kip Woodward ignited a storm with his off the wall letter in Coast Reporter Aug. 19 (“The facts on Silverstone”). The Letters to the Editor page overflowed the following week, with all of the responses hard-hitting and strongly critical of the Coastal Health position.
VCH has finally called a public meeting on Monday, Sept. 12 (5 p.m.) at the Sechelt Seniors Centre. Now we have another opportunity to try to convince Coastal Health that the closure of Totem and Shorncliffe doesn’t make sense.
You will recall that on June 1, without any consultation with the community, VCH announced that Trellis Seniors Service would be contracted to build a private for-profit care home. The new location is less accessible. Hundreds of volunteer hours per month will be lost, and logic tells us the new facility, Silverstone, will have to make a profit – which can only result in deteriorating service for seniors and lower wages and benefits for the care workers.
We now have an opportunity to tell VCH how the community feels. Everyone is urged to come to the meeting and speak out. We must convince VCH to immediately put the present plan on hold and conduct an in-depth study of all options, including the option of renovating and expanding the present facilities. We must let VCH know the community has to be closely involved in the study.
What happens at Totem and Shorncliffe affects everyone – seniors, care workers and businesses on the Coast. Speak to your friends. Come to the meeting. Make your views known.
Ray Haynes, vice-chair, Sunshine Coast Council of Senior Citizens (COSCO)
