Voice of Gone Ballistic

2012-01-25T11:47:00.001-08:00

post

Nothing will ever change at GPC

2012-01-13T16:56:00.001-08:00

When Randy first was admitted to GPC (November 20 2010)I questioned why was a visitor allowed to cook gourmet meals in the community kitchen in Ward 2. The Residents policy guide prohibits it. Other residents and visitors including the Residents Council and CARMA also have aromatic food brought in. I was under the impression that this was not happening any more. This afternoon a pizza was delivered to Ward 2 The delivery guy said he delivers pizza nearly everyday to Ward 2.Since I am banned from entering Ward 2 I do not know what is happening there. GPC forbids fragrant flowers but yet it allows the fragrance of food to permeate the ward. The smell of freshly cooked food must be torture for Randy.

Randy has been going crazy these past few weeks as he wanted to eat real food and as a result he refused to eat. I was so scared that he would get weak and then a pneumonia. Since GPC has a policy of not forcing a patient to do anything, Randy was starving. Since Randy's accident he has been feed by tubes. I do not know what happened but yesterday he started to take his stomach feed again. And now he has to deal with the smell of a pizza tonight. GPC has a large carpeted dinning/activity room which is very comfortable with microwaves, vending machines and catered food can be eaten there or purchased from GPC's kitchen.

I also asked for a photocopy of the feed flow chart of when and how manytimes Randy refused his feed from December 15 2011 until now. Like always anything important to me, GPC just neglects to follow through. Even though Randy signed the directive, GPC just ignored it.

I thought things were going to change ... Poor Randy and the indiferrence of those who are suppose to be caring for him including the Residents Council.
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Marina Kogan

2012-01-08T22:17:00.000-08:00

I went to see Marina this evening. I can't believe her. At 78 she is living on the edge. I couldn't do what she is doing. Putting her life on the line. She was able to get CTV to do a story about her eviction but Vancouver Native Housing still hasn't rescinded its Possession Order for her apartment. No one should get evicted from social housing. Portland Hotel Society never evicts anyone so there is no reason for Vancouver Native Housing to do so.

Randy isn't doing too well. How can I not worry.
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December 31st 2011

2011-12-31T18:09:00.000-08:00

I have been seeing Randy every day over the Christmas weekend and week. This afternoon we did the letterboard thing (a letterboard is a sheet of paper with the alphabet on it). We hadn't done the letterboard for a long time. It is very time consuming as Randy's motor ability to focus his finger on a letter is difficult. It is like playing charades without action. I was able to slowly put together what he wanted to say: I have bad memories. I am afraid. I want food.

During the week there was one incident and one situation. Both are stressful. The one incident is so stupid I do not want to discuss it and the situation I am working on for it to be resolved. I always say to myself things cannot get any worse and then they do.

During the week I was able to observe in the hallway the poster children of GPC who passed by (those who documented on You Tube how wonderful GPC was). They had the freedom of GPC (24/7) and I had only my allotted time and allotted space and the flashbacks of what Linda Rose told me last summer: I would never be given anything further and if Randy was on his death bed I would not be allowed on Ward 2. This was the woman who promised me that VCH would do an independent investigation and then changed her mind. When Randy was returned to VGH in August of 2011 because of an unexpected life threatening infection at first I was allowed to see Randy during normal visiting hours and which I did for two weeks then Linda Rose found outI was there and then a no contact order was issued so that no one could see Randy and I could only see him for 10 minutes a day if I phoned ahead of time. I never phoned I just showed up for my ten minutes at the end of the day. I was told by a nurse that the time was restricted because I had issues. What issues?

I still do not know what terrible harm I did and VCH doesn't have to tell me. Legally Vancouver Coastal Health doesn't have to: no due process. Like an employer doesn't have to tell you why he fired you. VCH has policies that suggest due process but there is no way to enforce them. And it is hiding behind the fact that GPC is on private property and it does not have to justify its decision to prevent a trespass. The victims are everyone of us -- the one million citizens who depend on VCH but cannot trust it. VCH has no respect for individual rights only its collective will to be legally corrupt i.e. not do the right thing. The right thing is what a "reasonable man" you and I would expect and in this case due process. But then VGH can't be reasonable as it is not a thinking person.

What I do not understand is why is it thatI am a threat to the safety of the staff, residents and visitors to GPC and yet I am allowed isolated freedom to visit Randy. Would I not also be a threat to him?

Marina Kogan

2011-12-27T02:04:00.000-08:00

I dropped by Marina Kogan's apartment (604-681-0648) yesterday evening. Charlie Smith wrote about her in the Georgia Straight last Thursday. She is being evicted because her apartment is a bit cluttered (the "bit" came from the landlord in various inspection reports). Marina is no different than other Russian immigrants who have always lived in small spaces which is what social housing is and saves everthing because of economics i.e. she may never be able to afford to buy such an item again. Everything is stacked up neat and tidy and there was no smell of decaying cardboard. All the bulk food was in extra large containers. She mentioned that at the hearing to get her evicted that Eddy the big boss of the Vancouver Native Housing Society said that he wanted her out as soon as possible. Eddy is in the business of housing difficult people and he can't handle her. I spoke to the prior manager of Pendera and he told me he couldn't see any reason why Marina should be evicted. Marina is making no effort to move as she has decided to commit suicide if she is forced out of her home. She is at an age when many retired people do. Eddy is written up on the internet that he makes sure all his tenants are rehoused if one place is not appropriate. So with all the thousands of housing units his non-profit has why hasn't he found one for a 78 year old Russian lady. Better yet negotiate with her to store her extra stuff in an offsite storage unit. A contract could be made listing the furniture items and personal items even the quanity of food Marina is allowed to keep in her small apartment. No matter what. She is not moving. As a side note the Portland Hotel Society who manages many many buildings, NEVER NEVER evicts anyone. The problem with Marina and Eddy is that thers is a clash of cultures. And I suspect he nor anyone from the RTA ever visited her apartment. A RTA Possession Order can be torn-up at anytime by a landlord.

the United Church

2011-12-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

I find it distasteful that the United Church hierarchy has decided to close down its low barrier shelter in the DTES at Gore and Hastings. I have always advocated for the shelter as I would tell those that might need help to go there as it never turns anyone away. It was a safe haven and a tirage to services. I thought there was hope for the "others" in our society but the "good" people have destroyed another necessary "evil." Like Rick Matthews of the United Church (if he is still a member) said on CBC this morning that in today's world no stable would take Mary and Joseph.
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The Greater Vancouver Foodbank continued ...

2011-12-16T04:33:00.000-08:00

The following is a list of the food given to a single person last week (Dec 8/11):
kit kat chocolate bar $0.69 (Dollarama)
small tin of Gold Seal tuna $2.16 (Safeway)
3 red potatoes small to medium size $1.33 (Safeway)
3 garlic clusters $2.00 (Safeway)
1 large red pepper $1.60 (Safeway)
1 package of fresh sprouts $1.50 (Safeway)
2 overripe tomatoes $1.14 (Safeway)
2 jumbo onions $0.86 (Safeway)
1/2 dozen petit eggs (so small that Safeway does not carry them) $1.00
2 packages of dried noodles $.98 (Safeway)
1 can of chicken noodle soup Campbells $1.09 (Safeway)
1 carton of Sunrype wildberry juice $1.89 (Safeway)
3 tiny apples (so small that Safeway does not carry them) $1.00
Approximate value $17.00
NO DAIRY; NO BREAD; NO BEANS; NO PASTA; NO RICE; NO CEREAL; NO TEA; NO COFFEE
Chicken given to singles for Christmas given the week prior December 1st
Turkey given to familes for Christmas given the week prior December 1st
WHY would the Foodbank give out Christmas poultry four weeks before Christmas!!!!
The foodbank depot's scheduled 1/2 hour for food distribution from 11:30 to 12:00 only on Thursdays 3X a month. On December 8 2011 the doors did not open until 12:10. The line-up at 10:30 was substantial. So it took close to two hours plus travelling time. Say, 3:00 hours. I suspecdt it is worth it if you utilize everything and have a $60.00 a month heating bill that has to be paid and you want to make friends while waiting in line in the cold.
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I haven't given up on Randy

2011-12-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

I haven't given up on Randy. It is so overwhelming that I needed to focus on something else so here it is: we should limit the size of non-profits to neighbour councils or better yet get rid of them altogether.

As for Randy today is such a beautiful day and I am prevented from visiting Randy. The policies of VCH is getting very upsetting to me.

I was told that "the team" decided on my banning ten months ago. At Randy's Annual Review in November which I attended none of the team (some 15 responsible for his care) knew that they were part of the team that banned me in fact my banning was never discussed with them. Dr. Dunne, the medical director for GPC wasn't there, but earlier he had said that he won't ban anyone from seeing anyone in the hospital. So these decisions that affect the care (the will to live) of patients are not those of the care team. So it is back to Linda Rose, the director of Residential Care, who never met me before the banning and only once after and/or Bob Chapman the director of Risk Management who I had met the week before my banning but as I exited that meeting I remember saying that no one was even listening to what I was saying over the fact that I was being bullied by GPC. A week later I got banned because of the bullies and their targetted treatment of me. It was open season on me because Mr. Chapman did not do his job. First by not listening to me and second by not doing anything expeditiously. But then how could he do anything expeditiously when he didn't even listen to what I was saying. The day after the banning I protested at GPC with a sign on the sidewalk boulevard, the police were called and told GPC that protesting on the sidewalk was legal, and I remember telling the social worker at that time that no one listened to me at the meeting.

Things have to change with non-profits: full legal due process when it affects a person's rights of association has to happened and just to remind all Vancouver Coastal Health is a non-profit society which makes its own laws disguised as policies and there is no appeal process. If you want something to go your way, you have to suck up to not only to management but also the lowest of the low paid employees as well. No wonder bribery is rampant in third world countries. You pay or suck up.

I am off to Safeway to check out the prices that an individual got as free food from the the Food Bank on Thursday. It doesn't seem to be worth the three-four hours it takes to get the free food most of which an individual might not buy in the first place. What happened before we had the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. I remember being poor when I was young. But I do not remember any talk about food banks. This is what happens when you work for fifty years of your life, you don't know what is going on. And now when you do, you realize that no one else does either. And who do I blame, I blame the CBC.
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Greater Vancouver Food Bank

2011-12-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

CBC Radio reported that recently the GVFB raised $425,000 in one day. That should make Cherly Carline happy as that would ensure that the GVFB has enough money to pay her unreasonable salary. According to the Canada Revenue Agency she earns in the range of $120,000 to $159,999 and I would assume considering how difficult it is for her to oversee nine managers that make close to $80,000 each a year to distribute donated food mostly by volunteers her salary is totally obscene. Since Cheryl has recently married, I am sure she could take a salary cut of $100,000 a year. But then it would be too much to ask of her as she works for a non-profit which like a corporation is a non-person. My mantra is that no one in the non-profit sector should earn more than 3X minimum wage.

I was told this morning that the GVFB does not have any members. If that is true then who elected the Board of Directors. One would expect that those who use the food bank would be members. Perhaps someone from the Board can contact me. Or is it like the Green Party wherein the Green Party only has members during an election year and the rest of the time it is the executive who are the directors. Democracy and transparency in action in British Columbia.
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Whatever It Takes

2011-11-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

When Randy was introduced to the "letterboard" the first word he spelt was HELP.

Yesterday I phoned GPC 604-322-8370 and left messages at 11:00 am, 2:00 pm and 3:00pm for Randy's nurse to call me. In the last message I said that if staff did not telephone me I would go to GPC to check on Randy and my restriction not to enter Ward 2 be damned.

Randy is suppose to be getting 6.5 hours of care a day and I do not know what he gets. I do not think records are being kept. But one thing for sure is that a telephone can be answered.

Gray Cup day. Last year I was at GPC during Gray Cup day and it had a festive atmosphere with delivered pizzas and drinks and all the staff fixated on the game. There was only one nurse who told me she didn't like football and was looking after the residents/patients. Napolean (Ostrow) should be there to see what really is going on during sports championship events. And what about the Chairman of the Board, Kip Woodward (604-875-4719). The gentleman that assured me that he would look into my allegations of bullying by staff, visitors and residents. My concerns were brought up at the VCH open board meeting on June 8 2011 and I was assured by Linda Rose that an independent investigation would be done. This she promised in front of Kip Woodwards' assistant (Kip Woodward is the chairman of VCH). A month later, Linda Rose told me that an independent investigation was not necessay. But, Linda Rose, it is necessary because you promised me that it would happen. What about my reputation and the humiliations I have to face each day, what about denying Randy his rights to see me when he wants (none of my restrictions apply to anyone else so therefore it is baltant discrimination). Your agrument that the hospital is privately owned doesn't wash with the wrongs you have imposed. How can anyone trust Vancouver Coastal Health. The policy of Vancouver Coastal Health seems to be wait until you give up or the resident dies or better yet the caring friend dies. Linda Rose is a paid director of Vancouver Coastal Health. She oversees the management of GPC.

On Thursday the Recreation Department took Randy and I to Oakridge mall for an hour's outing. Randy seemed happy to get out of GPC even for one hour. We checked my three BC lotto tickets (no winning numbers), checked out the board games store, and ended up at Oakridge Seniors Centre. I am a member and so is Randy.

On Friday Randy was up and waiting for me. We were together for four hours. We went offsite to Dylan's coffee shop and then back to the piano room where he did lettering and then we played a simple card game. He will need a lot of therapy as he needs a lot of reinforcement to relearn. If I wasn't there who would be assigned to do this. I do not think there would be anyone. I recently spoke to one resident who told me that he doesn't know how to read or write and he has been there for twenty years. A volunteer or a student teacher could do this job for free.

Where is the commonsense, where is the leadership...where is the quality of life mantra...where is Kip Woodward and the Board (board.chair@vch.ca). Better yet where is Christy Clark (604-666-8380), the woman who is the premier of British Columbia and her government is for families. The government is only there so that VCH can do whatever it wants with impunity. Beware of the creeping powers of non-profits. VCH is a non-profit which is on par with a corporation in that it is not a living person. In 2012 a new law governing non-profits will be enacted, it is already written and it is scary. I suspect it will be passed in the middle of the night.
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Friday 18 November 2011

2011-11-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

On Friday I was able to see Randy for two hours. He was tired and so we spent most of the time holding hands. The monopoly idea wasn't so great as I couldn't remember how to play monopoly and there were no instructions. I tried to phone Randy's nurse to make sure he was okay, left a message, stayed by the phone all evening, no one returned my call. I didn't phone on the weekend as it would only cause me upset as the scenario would be repeated of staff not talking to me. Although it is in the care plan that I can talk to Randy on the phone the staff does not honour that directive.

However, Friday afternoon presented the occasion that I talk to the union rep for the LPNs (licensed practical nurses). I was told that LPNs earn $25.00 an hour plus benefits making the cost to taxpayers a total of $33.00 an hour. Up to this time I was told that the LPN are the lowest paid nurses on the ward. At $33.00 an hour I would consider them to be more than adequately compensated. I also asked about "continuous training" that the LPNs were exposed to. I was told there was none. They are given $125.00 a year for training but since there are no courses for them they cannot further expand their knowledge even if they wanted to. The union rep felt it was up to VCH to offer these courses. How can you trust nursing staff when they do not even know what is happening in medical advances. Maybe if staff was given "professional development" then they wouldn't have cause to bully. Courses have to be offered so that they feel that they belong to a group beyond their work environment. This would ensure that ethics would be foremost.
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November 17 2011 Thursday

2011-11-17T19:54:00.000-08:00

I am totally frustrated with GPC. I wanted to leave some flowers on the wards today and was told by the nursing staff they are not allowed to take them and security also said that it couldn't take them. What a simple thing and yet no one wants to assist. What is a person suppose to do drop them at the front door and hope no one steals them or they freeze because of the cold weather. This isn't the first time such requests were denied. I have never been in an environment where staff has been so uncooperative. Their unionized job descriptions are so strict rendering them near useless in our modern multitasking society. A job so clearly defined that one doesn't have to think or learn anything else after being hired. Just get hired and then retire with pay. This also extends to even giving Randy a chalkboard so he can scribble on it. Unless I am there apparently no stimulation is given except for the tv. I dread to know how other residents are treated or not treated. I was told that there is a shortage of volunteers at GPC. Maybe it is because the volunteers are told to see nothing and say nothing and above all do not get personal with any resident and stay away from those that can't talk or defend themselves. Isolated to the point where the residents are conditioned so even the most vocal and those treated unjustly are silenced. I ask them to speak out and am told by the residents and family members that if they do the standard of care of their caring friend or family member will be lessened. Take away stimulation; take away brain function; take away caring friends. Take away life. See You Tube: BC's Health Authorities on How to Effectively Communicate with the Public. Up to the time I came across this video I felt that I was a pawn in a script with staff orchestrating my pain until it was too much and I would go away. Too bad Randy is a fighter and an American who believes in fighting for justice. He is now the most important person in this dialogue and I am his caring friend and advocate.

I wasn't able to visit with Randy in the piano room Thursday afternoon. When I went into the ward for my allotted few minutes he said he didn't want to get out of bed because his head hurt. This is the first time he ever said his head hurt. I showed him the new AC/DC monopoly board I just purchased and could he play monopoly and he said yes. I asked him if he could go home would he get up. He said yes. I told him on Friday we could play the board game.

I told him that because I was an old lady (approaching seventy) that if I took him home without GPC's consent GPC would get the police (a restraining order) and I would never see him again. It would be evidence that I was a risk to him. I was told GPC could make sure that if I did not do whatever GPC wanted I would never see Randy again. I suspect this means that the Public Trustee would take over and make GPC his committee and GPC would totally ban me forever. Even this afternoon when I was talking to Bob Chapman I could heard him type in every word I said. In other words if I wanted a crumb I would have to suck up to each one of them (please do not kill Randy by removing his will to live) or suffer the consequences. Thank you Napolean (Ostrow). Thank you Josephine (MARY). Thank you Dr/MLA Moira Stilwell

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2011-11-16T19:12:00.000-08:00

November 16 2011

2011-11-16T18:46:00.000-08:00

I went to see Randy today. He was in good spirits but he still wants to come home and visit. I was told that yesterday (the reason why he looked white) was because he had pulled out his life support. He pulls out his life support because he is unhappy and it is the only way he can get attention so he can go home. I do not understand what GPC is doing. GPC doesn't give him any serious rehab, he just vegetates in his bed and watches tv provided the staff puts it on for him to watch. He can't communicate successfully. Randy is not under the Public Trustee so he has a right to go home and have me visit when he wants. Today he even said he wanted to be married as that would make him happy. I want to know why GPC is taking his freedoms away from him. All residents at GPC can leave for a day whenever they want, so why can't Randy.

I want an answer from VCH's legal department.

I called this evening as I wanted to talk to Randy's nurse Rio. She refused to return my call. Each time a nurse from GPC won't return my call, her name or his name is going to show up on this blog. I am tired of leaving messages and no one calls me back.

Tuesday November 15 2011

2011-11-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

I went and saw Randy this afternoon. When he saw me he started to move his wheelchair a few minutes towards me. He was a bit drained "white" but I was glad he wanted to see me. Randy didn't have any warm slippers on only his socks; and he only had a short sleeve shirt. I asked the nurse for a toss blanket and she told me that Randy was only allowed in the piano room and he wasn't going anywhere else so he didn't need a blanket. Another misinformed nurse. Randy can do what he wants. It is me that has restrictions. If Randy wants to go offsite, he can. If Randy wants to go to Hawaii, he can.

Later he started to cry and I had a few tears in my eyes as well. This is crazy. GPC is suppose to be his home not a jail.

No one gave me the consents to sign. But then I do not understand why consents even exist when legislation says BC hospitals are immune from prosecution.

We did some lettering and alphabetical cards and I read to him a bit from a book on how doggies speak to humans. He was very interested in it.
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I had a sick feeling on Saturday

2011-11-14T16:43:00.000-08:00

I had a sick feeling on Saturday and it was further confirmed when I tried to call Randy on Saturday and he won't take the phone. A resident told me this afternoon that on Saturday afternoon he/she saw Randy in his bed restrained beyond a soft restraint. He was like he was imprisoned and his arms was tried up behind his head. His television was turned off. Why was this necessary. All Randy wants is that I have more access to him or else he be allowed to come here.

When I went to GPC today I was told and shown a number of consent documents that I and Randy would have to sign before he would be allowed to leave. The health professional then ran off with the documents never to be seen again. I have taken randy off site for months now he has to sign documents. Randy I know will not sign any documents after he was tricked by VGH last year after signing documents that transferred him to GPC and for VGH not to tell me. I found this incredible and still do. Randy lost millions of brain cells because of his traumatic brain injury and yet the VGH said he had the capacity to sign documents. I asked Randy and he couldn't remember signing them. He told me at that time that he never said he didn't want to see me. I am sure he will never sign any document again. So he is being imprisoned. Poor Randy. Poor me. Poor the rest of you.
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Another Bad Day

2011-11-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

The only thing that was agreeable today was the weather. I was worried about Randy because I had only seen him for three hours this past week. I decided to go to GPC and leave Randy a short letter and a pair of fleece pj bottoms. I phoned when I got there and no one answered the phone so I left a message for someone to come and get Randy's stuff. I waited outside. About twenty minutes later I asked a passing visitor if she would go into Ward 2 and read the letter to Randy and leave the fleece pj bottom. She came back and said that Randy was looking forward to going to my place on Monday. As I was readying myself to leave, a security guard told me to leave or else he would call the police as I wasn't allowed on the property on weekends. Not true. I am just not allowed into Ward 2. I haven't pushed the issue of my admission to Ward 2 as if there is someone there who is afraid of me I do not want to cause him or her additional fear. That isn't the whole truth though. I was told by Linda Rose that my banning was forever. Since no evidence has been given to me as to what I did I am at a loss as to why she would say tht. I asked the young security if he had viewed the You Tube video George Pearson Centre yet. Every time I see him I ask him and every time he says No. He should be aware of this most important video which was paid for by VCH. Also it is a requirement by Paladin that its security guards become integrated into GPC and its culture (see its webpage) and so they are aware of the dynamics of where they work. I then told him to call the police. I don't like being threatened when there is no reason. A few minutes later I left and when I was walking up Cambie Street sure enough two police cars came racing towards 57th and turned right. I shook my head. This is the same young security guard who tried on a previous occasion to throw me out of the GPC building when I was visiting residents not Randy and I secured bruising: all the colours of the rainbow. I showed the bruising as they changed colour to witnesses but I didn't do anything about the incident as the young security guard was only doing his job albeit with bad information and that was when I started whenever I saw him ask him did he view the You Tube Video: George Pearson Centre. Another time he also called the police on me and accused me of kidnapping Randy. I had taken Randy off site to a coffee bar across the street from GPC and I was returning him. I didn't know what to do as my instinct was to protect Randy against this unreasonable authority figure so I asked for the RN to come out and talk to me. That took about 1/2 hour in the cold and in the mean time the police showed up. These incidents are so stupid they are true. I can't make them up.

My flashback memory came back and I remember a time I was in GPC and this young security guard was motioning that the bully from Ward 2 to hide from my view. The bully from Ward 2 weighs 200 pounds and he doesn't need a 23-year old security guard to protect him. I remember shaking my head and forgot the incident. Today I looked in the parking lot and sure enough the vehicle that the bully uses was there. It is a new red Chevrolet four door cabin 4-wheel drive truck. Of course, the bully and the young security guard are colluding i.e. the bully is manipulating the security guard. It always interests me when bullies bully. I wonder if he is even paying for his wife's care. Working for a small company that he owns offers him the opportunity to pay himself a small salary so he can claim he doesn't have enough income to pay for her care while retaining profits in his company. He even cooks his meals in Ward 2 (which are against the rules see www.vch.ca George Pearsson Centre Resident and Family Handbook). I was told that his Silverado cost $62,000. You should see the inside of it. Everything is showroom perfect. All the bullies I have knowm are perfectionists. Should I be surprised.
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Friday, 11 November 2011

2011-11-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

I wrote up this morning thinking of Randy and I felt anger. I had only three hours this week to visit. One hour on Monday; and Two hours on Wednesday. It is not enough time to reinforce his lettering and numbering. Vancouver Coastal Health must have a policy of not rehabing those in George Pearson Center.

I still do not understand why I was banned. Maybe it was when I raised my voice and accused the Ward of bullying. I still haven't gotten over the broken promise Linda Rose made that she would have an independent investigation done over what happened. And, then, one month later (July 2011) she advised me that this wasn't going to happen. Linda Rose was the manager of George Pearson Center in 2010 and I suspect she doesn't want any professional outsiders near the place. She got a promotion out of GPC with GPC still being under her authority. The bullies must have developed a close relationship with her for her to gamble her reputation and career on. I see no objectivity in how she treated me causing unnecessary restrictions and preventing Randy from his right to see me when he wants. It is easy to control Randy as he can't talk or write so he can't even ask to see me. Being poor opens up one's life to total abuse. And it was her who made sure that when Randy (after he turned blue at GPC) was sent to Vancouver General Hospital in August 2011 that I could only see Randy for ten minutes a day from eight hours. Previously I was told by Risk Management that I could visit Randy at VGH for as long as I wanted as there was no one there that was afraid of me and I did so close to two weeks. Maybe the VGH restriction was initiated by Linda Rose in the hope that I would make a scene and it could be used to ban me forever. As to my mental health, I am still open to seeing a psychiatrist. If I am someone to be afraid of then VGH should have done this ten months ago to protect its residents, its staff and its visitors. It would be very embarrassing for VCH if a psychiatrist said that I was reacting normally under the daily bulling I was facing.
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I keep remembering what Moira Stilwell, MD turned MLA, said to me that VCH has its own government and I would have to work with the abusers. Thanks Moira.
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November 5 2011

2011-11-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

I was able to see Randy on Friday. I wasn't able to see him in the piano room on Thursday as he said he was in pain and didn't want to get out of bed. He seemed to understand that I couldn't stay at his bedside for longer than a few minutes. I do not know who belongs to the "team" who made the rules for my constructive banning but I was told many months ago that it came from the executive offices i.e. Napolean Ostrow because of this blog. If he knew what he was doing, he would welcome blogs such of mine to quickly with haste correct faults within Vancouver Coastal Health rather than spend his time speaking to the converted that we have the best care in Canada and GPC is a lighthouse for the world. I heard him speak at the open VCH board meeting in June 2011 and only sunshine came out of his mouth. See You Tube video: George Pearson Centre.

On Friday Randy and I played a simple card game called fish. He was picking up the cards and moving them so he is trying his best. Ever since I told him that because of his accident his brain is scrambled so he has to relearn everything he has been improving. I told him what he sees in his brain isn't always what is translated to me and the nurses. I remember one time giving him an educational toy and he threw it on the floor from his bed and I was able to read his lips to say "I am not a baby." I will never forget that.

Legwarmers needed ...

2011-11-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

I am on a new project: the collection of legwarmers to be distributed to the cold and frail at hospitals provided they are knitted with soft "baby" wool and other knitted legwarmers to be distributed to the elderly and the street homeless.

I am sourcing an easy pattern to knit or crochette and will post the instructions as soon as I get them for those who know how to knit.

If you already have legwarmers that you can donate drop them off at 5976 Cambie (basement entrance) across from Safeway at Oakridge Mall or let me know and I will come and pick them up. 604-321-2276 I will distribute them if you can't.

Legwarms (sleeves) made from soft yarn is the answer to those being cold in a hospital or residential setting. Easy to put on; easy to take off; easy to knit: either rectangles or knit-in-the-round (tube). They should be seamless or have invisible handsewned seams. What a simple solution to an old age problem.

I spent the last few days seeking out legwarmers in dollarstores. There is some stock but none with the soft yarn knitted that would be close to the body to fit the legs or arms snuggly. For the frail item 16-3010054 one size fits all the one with fuzzy strips) is the best (if you live in an area that has a Dollarama)and is priced at $1.50. Buy them all up and donate them to your local residential care or hospital.

The knit has to be a rib stitch so it can stretch. At the beginning use a smaller sized needles (4-6 rows) to get more stretch to act as an elastic (not necesaary but desireable) and then go to a slightly larger needle(s) all the while doing knit one pearl one (64 stitches)) and knit about 20-inches for a one-size fits all pattern.

Although fashion sleeve legwarmers have been around forever, the use of them for the frail and the aged has not be exploited. I hope the "sleeves" become a standard in everyone's family.

In addition to knitted legwarm sleeves, I would also like to collect socks being mismatched or used. The homeless are always short of socks and I will make sure they are distributed fairly. The socks do not have to be in perfect condition; they do not even have to match or be sized.
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Monday October 31st 2011

2011-10-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

After rushing off to the dollar store to purchase legwarmers, I came home at 7:30 p.m. to a large doggie (retriever) hiding under the table quivering (I got to start doing crossword puzzles so I can increase my vocabulary) in fear. He is trembling. This big doggie is afraid of the noises of Hallowe'en. He has serious issues: he is afraid of any large noise and bolts until he runs away from the sound with me running after him or if inside he burrows into a corner under a table. Try to move/comfort a 100 pound doggie when he is afraid. I will have to spend the evening soothing/holding him. I am close to seventy years old. Do I need this. Of course I need it...how else am I to keep active.

I was able to see Randy today. He was so "normal." We spent two full hours doing lettering, visiting with Russ, Roy, Asif and Ray, being disabled residents who dropped by, and, briefly a volunteer, GPC's carpenter in Hallowe'en dress and the nurse practioner. I am beginning to think the best thing that happened was my constructive banning.

If it wasn't for that Randy most likely would have died by now because I would just be at his bedside and he won't be forced to get up. I remember when I was saying something about me being banned someone said at least now he gets up. I can't remember who she was as there were people around and confusion and when I am under stress things fade into memory flashbacks but thank you for saving Randy's life and perhaps even my own.

I have to leave the blog as the big doggie needs me.
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Randy on Saturday

2011-10-29T20:40:00.001-07:00

A friend of Randy's went to see him and she called me from his bedside on her cell. I spoke to Randy for a few minutes telling about seeing him on Monday and that on Saturday I was taking the doggies to the groomers for their annual grooming. Can't afford it more than once a year. The groomer chopped so much hair of them I couldn't even recognize them. To say the least both of them didn't seem happy as they ran to hide behind my legs when I went to pick them up. They have been such a comic relief for me.

Randy's friend said that he wrote out his initials in the air so she could see them. He really is keen to learn. There just is no one there to help him. I can't access him as much as he needs. She didn't stay long but I was grateful that she did go and see him.

Randy on Thursday/Friday

2011-10-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday being October 27 2011 Randy was not as enthusiastic as he was on Wednesday but he repeated his lettering, moved his wheelchair, and was social with a few of the residents who came into the family room.

Today being Friday October 28 2011 when I arrived at GPC at 2:00 p.m. I was told by Tanu that Randy didn't want to get out of bed. When I went to see Randy for my five minutes to see that he was okay (I am sorry I thought it was ten minutes but have been advised it is only five minutes)he wanted me to stay by his bedside as he said he was in pain but I told him that GPC won't let me. He would have to get up and be in his wheelchair and he would have to go to the piano room. He agreed and then I was told that there was no staff to put him in his chair and he should have told the staff earlier if he wanted to see me. (Randy for the most part cannot connect because of his brain injury cause and effect. He seems to live in the moment). It was a repeat of what happened on Monday.

GPC knows every time I go down the hall to see him for my five/ten minutes he always wants to see me. Randy is suppose to get 6.5 hours of care a day. For staff to spend five minutes to put him in his chair should not be a hardship. I am not there to visit I am there to audit/rehab which GPC has been faulty in not motivating Randy to do which which means he must have at least 6.0 hrs a day credit over one year 360 days X 6 hrs = 2,160 hours X $100 an hour = $216,000) which GPC is being paid for and Randy is not getting treated for.

Randy has had a traumatic brain injury and millions of his brain cells have been destroyed and the staff at GPC treat him as he is whole. He isn't. The staff at GPC must be very badly trained as they do not seem to understand this. He responds well to visual stimulation (like seeing me) not verbal questions (like do you want to get up in your chair or do you want any visitors). I still do not understand why when he was in acute care (VCH) he was taken out of bed each day and they didn't ask his permission but at GPC they ask him. I suspect it is easier to keep him in bed so he loses muscle mass and eventually won't be able to get up even if he wanted to.

How easy it would be to alienate his affection for me. GPC has custody of him all the time and I get to see him only a few hours/few minutes a week. I fear he is becoming institutionalized and I am helpless to prevent it.

When I left I had to pull my hand away from his grip. He wasn't crying but I was. I was told on Wednesday that he has been put on antidepressants which would dull his reactions as he usually cries when he sees me.
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Randy on Wednesday

2011-10-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

I went to see Randy today and he was so looking normal. This first thing he did was grab a small white board and a white board marker and printed out "R" "W" in large letters to fill the white board. I was so pleased and so was he. I told him he can now sign cheques payble to me. And he shook his head. He wasn't going to give me any money. Unless he loses his will to live, he will survive.

Then he decided he wanted to show me his expertise in navigating his wheelchair. This is something because I do not think that OT had spend much time with him showing him how to use his wheelchair except for the few hours I did with him. Then he went further and put his feet on the floor (after I removed the pedals) and was able to navigate his chair with moving his feet although limited in distance. I couldn't believe it. I was so happy.

Randy needs motivation: he needs hope; he needs a future; he needs things besides only being kept alive.
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I was right.

2011-10-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

Randy didn't want to get out of his bed to see me today. I looked at him and was in near tears as what I saw wasn't the "normal" appearance of hope I saw on Thursday. He was a skeleton with skin. When I inquired as to why he didn't want to get up he acknowledged that he wanted to go home. Although Randy changed his mind about getting up the charge nurse said she didn't have the staff to lift Randy out of bed and put him in his wheelchair and I would have to return tomorrow.

There is a letter out there written by Bob Chapman of Risk Management that says that I can only attend to Randy at his bedside for only ten minutes max and for me to have a longer visit Randy would have to be transported to the piano room. Apparently after ten months the residents are still afraid of me and GPC hasn't done anything to end the fear like getting a psychologist to speak to the residents about the fears of me. As far as I can tell no one is afraid of me.

Today I phoned at 4:15 GPC Ward 2 as I wanted to leave a message that I would phone Randy at 7:00 pm. By luck the afternoon RN answered the phone and she connected me with Randy. I was apologizing to Randy about not phoning him yesterday and that I had tried to phone on Friday and Saturday as well. I told him that the staff said he was sleeping but I knew he wasn't as I went to GPC and looked in his window at 9:05 pm and he was watching television. I knocked lightly on his window and I could see his head and knee move. I also told Randy that I would ask the medical staff that I attend with him when he is scheduled for medical treatments like physio (Randy apparently is refusing physio and other treatments) and I would be there as his support. When I said to him that I didn't understand why the staff won't let me talk to him on the phone on Sunday, the phone line abruptly went dead. For the readers, for me to phone Randy a nurse holds a phone to his ear as Randy does not have the dexterity to use a phone and he breathes heavily so I know he hears me. I never talk more than two minutes. I know the nurse hears our conversation but I do not know if it is on speaker phone or not; no difference as I am tired of being careful with what I say and how I say it. The stress is too much.

Back to Thursday and Randy's cry for FOOD. I was sick over it as I realized that the bully who cooks gourmet meals in Ward 2 must still be cooking his dinners there. The bully is a visitor who lives there except for the few hours he works. I complained prior to my banning about his "right" to cook spicy gourmet food as the smell must be torture to residents like Randy who cannot eat.(I just revisited the You Tube George Pearson Centre video and there the bully is saying he cooks at GPC). It has been ten months since I was constructively banned from GPC in the evenings and weekends and holidays when the bully would be there. I had forgotten that he must be continuing in his disregard for the helpless and vulnerable residents at GPC as long as he is "on board." The policy of GPC is that visitors are only allowed occasionally to have tea and a cookie; they are not allowed to buy food in bulk from Costco and cook it there. How can I argue with this "poster child" in the You Tube video of George Pearson Centre. He and the other bullies are all featured in the video as loving GPC. What a nauseating sequeal and true to the definition of bullying.
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When is a lie cruel?

2011-10-23T21:47:00.000-07:00

I have been trying for three evening to talk to Randy. I leave messages and my calls are not returned. This evening at 8:25 I called again and Rick answered. He said that Randy was asleep. A few minutes later I called again as that was impossible as Randy never goes to sleep that early. Another nurse answered the phone and she said she would go and check. I heard in the back ground some discussion and she told me that Randy was sleeping. I decided to take the bus to GPC and I arrived there at 9:05. I looked in Randy's window and could see the television was on. I could see his head move. I could see his knee move vertically up. As I walked pass the nurse's station I could see Rick reading a comic book at the common table and the rest of the staff congregated in the nurses' station chit chattering. When I say to Randy I will telephone him at a certain time and the staff refuses to connect you that is cruel and everyone of them who have been party to preventing Randy from speaking to me should get fired. This isn't the first weekend this has happened. Nearly every weekend this happens. And all it does is create distrust. Randy cannot believe what I tell him. And the staff at GPC think that is okay. Well it is not. How dare they behave in such a callous way. And I have told administration and they ignore me as well.

Visit to Audrey's (home)

2011-10-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Thursday 20 October 2011 Randy came for a two hour visit (his first home visit) to my small basement suite. The GPC recreation department arranged it. When I first saw Randy he looks so normal as opposed to the uncertain look I usually get when I see him. The recreational supervisor was so good with him as it was he who navigated Randy from his hospital bed to my place and picked him up at 4:00 pm.

After Ron left Randy in my care, Randy became very vocal with his hands and mouth although no sound came from his mouth. I did not know what he was attempting to say. He was very agitated. He pointed to the letter board on the table and he spelt out with his index finger "FOOD." I didn't know what to do and I couldn't do anything. He can't swallow so he can't eat regular food and he has been hooked up to a feeding tube for the past 17 months. He was angry at me and stayed angry for a good hour until I put on a AC/DC DVD on the computer. It distracted him a bit as did the dogs. However, he didn't want anything to do with me.

I hope when I go and see him at 2:00 p.m.today he will see me. He still might be angry because I did not feed him.
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Learning to Write

2011-10-18T17:43:00.001-07:00

On Friday and on Monday I spent my time with Randy teaching him how to print his initials. I was told learning to write is very difficult for the brain injured. It requires much repetition and patience. I was surprised at Randy in his determination.

Today being Tuesday the social worker gave me a "letter board" for Randy. A letter board is a 81/2" X 11" sheet of paper with the alphabet and the numbers from 0 to 9.

I spelt out Randy and Randy pointed his finger to each letter. I then spelt out my name and Randy pointed to each letter. I asked him to spell out something. He pointed to four letters: the first letter was "H"; the second letter was "E"; the third letter was "L", and the fourth letter was "P". HELP. This is the first word he has spoken besides nodding "yes" or shaking his head "no" at questions directed to him.
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October 9th/October11th 2011

2011-10-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

I was able to see Randy just for ten minutes on both of these days as Randy was not able to get out of bed. He told me he was in pain. Today as I was leaving I gave him a DVD from AC/DC and he and some members of the ward were interested in it. Randy beamed with excitement that he had something he could share with others. He always liked to share. I just hope that the pain is less tomorrow so I can see him for more than ten minutes. I can only see Randy for ten minutes in his bed if he can't get up in his wheelchair to be taken to the music/family room where we visit for a few hours. The room is very unfriendly and it shuts off me and Randy from the rest of the centre. Which means we cannot participate in any activities that GPC is offering to the regular residents. There was a funeral last week and we couldn't attend. Today the Residents Council Meeting was closed to us. Randy's social skills and guality of life seem to be going downhill each day. No quality of life so why live. A resident told me that the only reason residents die in GPC is because they give up. I am not even a resident at GPC and sometimes I feel like giving up also. It is a very depressing and sad place with a little hope.
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The Truth from a Nurse Published Oct 4 2011

2011-10-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

On Sunday evening I spoke to Susan Vickers a nurse on leave from the nursing profession. She told me that it takes three months for a resident/patient to become institutionalized i.e. realize that a residential care facility is the best it is going to get and for them to accept the environment. She also said that only ten percent of a resident's support network continue to visit on a regular basis. She described her work as looking after the abandoned. She concurred with management on my banning as I should have only visited Randy never mind trying to be friendly to others. Now I understand the silence I received from GPC management when I said I would like to adopt three or four residents so when I visit Randy I can visit them as well. Susan confirmed that the staff doesn't like visitors but will put up with them as they know that after three months there is a 90% chance of a visitor never to return. And in my case it was exactly three months from the time Randy entered George Pearson Centre until my banning. Susan opined that it was okay that GPC gave me short hours to visit Randy at times that were inconvenient to me and also that she didn't see Randy was treated in a discriminatory factor in that Randy was being treated differently from other residents as to visiting hours (10am to 10pm). The hours given to me were designed for the convenience of GPC and not for me or for Randy. During the weekdays there is much activity in the ward and he has stimulation but it is in the evenings, weekends and holidays that the ward is very quiet and that is when visitors should be visiting. Susan could see no need for me to stay more than two hours since he can't talk. No he can't talk but he knows that I am there and he can touch me and I can touch him. She also said that volunteers are discouraged in residential care facilities as staff doesn't want them to see what is really going on. The first day I went to visit Randy there were no chairs for visitors. Only visitors who have blinders on and only focus totally on their family member are allowed. In Open Ward 2 where Randy is there is only one visitor there from 10 to 10; 7 days a week except during the few hours he works. This bully sucks up to management and has for eight years. He is the one who makes sure visitors do not return. He makes visitors feels uncomfortable, he never shares even his newspaper, he controls the common area such as tv and food and who can even sit at the table. He spreads malicious gossip and lies. Even residents from other wards are afraid to visit Ward 2 when the bully is there. And the staff is wanting of him as then they only have to deal with him rather than other visitors or residents from other wards. What GPC should be working for is that each resident has a caring friend or two, an adopted friend, or caring relatives that visit more than once a year. There is so much humanity lost at GPC. What there is is the Stockholm Syndrome...identifying with your abusers so that you do not know you are being abused and are agreeing with them. I am told that GPC isn't a prison. I agree GPC is not a prison because when you are in a prison you know you are in prison. GPC is worse.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

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The Unreasonable Man

2011-09-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Today is September 28 2011 and I just listen to CBC and an interview about making bullying a criminal offence. The prosecutors could start with George Pearson Centre... I am constantly taunted and the perpetrators are hidden by confidentiality. They do it in the most sinister way and I have no recourse except to become more and more jaded with the medical system. It has been nine months now and no one has stood up to defend me. The incidents have all been instigated by staff or residents who seem to enjoy the way I am being treated or by now they would have done or said something to me. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Everyone of these bullies must have come from abusive backgrounds. I asked that all staff at GPC be psychologically tested for suitability for working in residential care and I was told that would be impossible. This bullying culture could be ended very quickly by changing the attitude of care. Patients are the customers and the health professionals are the employees and the customer is always right. Simple. But instead the patients and families have to suck up to the health professionals or the patients/residents will not be treated the best they should be. A select group mostly composed of those that work or have worked in the health field know of this and they perpetuate ill treatment of others as long as they think they are looked after. The unhappy psychopath Ann Ryan who died alone said something like "I am on board; cut the lifeline for everyone else."

A quote by George Bernard Shaw (1903).

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

I personally see the world as "just" so I must be very unreasonable.
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3 September 2011

2011-09-04T05:06:00.000-07:00

I went to see Randy Saturday afternoon (September 2, 2011). He didn't want me to leave but I had to explain that the hospital only gave me ten minutes. I do not know why. I asked for a copy of Randy's care plan and no one gave me one. It doesn't matter if you are at GPC or VGH the attitude of staff is the same. In 2006 Randy executed a document saying that he wanted me to be his guardian in case of disablity and VGH only honours it now and then.

This past week it has been very quiet so VCH is up to something. When I have these uncertain feelings something always happens.

Trip to VGH 02 September 2011

2011-09-04T03:58:00.000-07:00

It has been very quiet this week. When things are too quiet I assume something is happening behind my back. I never think things are going to get worse but each day they do negating whatever was worse before. Yesterday, animal control gave me a ticket for $250 because little Owen was off leash. He was on a leash but he bolted and I had to let the leash drop. The animal control person was apprehensive of me like she was expecting me to give her a bad time. I never get angry with someone over something like that: road rage is not me. Owen was off leash and a neighbourhood person reported it. Now I will have to make arrangements with Animal Control to make payments. Another incident to take a few hours of my limited remaining life.

I went to see Randy for a few minutes yesterday. Three weeks ago Saturday Randy was transferred back to VGH as he had an acquired pneumonia infection. Last time he had an acquired hospital pneumonia he was in VGH isolated in a single room for six months.

I went with a friend of Randy's and mine and his girlfriend to visit Randy on Saturday. Chad said he never every since he knew me saw me so frightened that I was unable to talk to staff i.e. I have become afraid of VCH as no matter how you conduct yourself a nurse will be writing up an incident report. A report that they do not give you a copy of. I could hardly talk. I do not understand as you are suppose to have privacy when visiting and not have three nurses three feet from you watching and writing down everything you touch and say.

Randy was happy to see me and he did not want me to leave but VGH said I had to leave within ten minutes. I do not understand where this ten minute restriction came from. I remember asking for Randy's care plan and none was emailed to me. I tried to talk to the social worker yesterday and she didn't return my call. So, VCH is up to something just to create more stress for me and Randy. They do whatever just because they can. My doctor is amased that I am still able to function. Since he has known me for close to 30 years, he is the only one I trust with my health. I am close to 70and not one of my relatives have lived past that age. I have to start planning for the next stage. I phoned his parents again in the hope they would came and give me a respite but was told that they did not want to know anything about Randy or me and both of us were off their radar. So much for familial support. The most important thing I have to do is make sure Randy will be in a safe place but where is a safe place. Since he has no money, no one wants to his guardian. He will surely die within months of my death. Randy is very strong so I do not understand why he has not been given physio and other treatments. He will loose all his muscle strength if kept in bed all the time.

I did some fundraising on the street to rent Randy a few days of television rental at VGH. VGH charges $17.36 a day. Those patrons that gave money were very nice. We would always talk and most had suffered a hospital experience without a television. I still do not understand why VCH doesn't supply televisions to brain injured patients. Brain injured patients need stimulation to keep their brain alive and relearnable. Televisions should be a prerequite treatment.

Hits: 111,654

2011-09-04T03:53:00.000-07:00

Abuse at Residential Care Home (UK)

2011-08-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

It is happening here as well. If abuse is happening in one residential care hospital, then it is happening in others. In George Pearson it is mostly psychological abuse leading to the eventual consent by the resident to be isolated. Visitors are discouraged and, if they still continue to visit, are made to feel uncomfortable and eventually they stop coming. In Randy's ward of ten beds, I only remember four residents who had visitors during Christmas week. It was icy silent and sad.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/undercover-care-the-abuse-exposed/

Gratitude to Nurse Florence Nightingale

2011-08-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

During my alloted phone call I was asked by Randy's nurse to purchase Randy some shaving cream as the supply I had purchased him prior to my banning had run out. Prior to my banning I looked after all such toiletries and his clothing needs including washing them and purchasing them. She said that she has been using his hair shampoo to shave him. At least one person (the one and only time)used initiative in GPC and spoke to me about Randy's needs.

Then I wondered why couldn't she have used/borrowed shaving foam from another resident when Randy's supply ran out and let me know Randy's supply had ended. The staff at GPC have my phone number. I am sure there is a policy that states to staff not to encourage sharing among its residents as sharing denotes friendships. The irony of it all. To make it more ironic the wards are not suppose to be called wards they are suppose to be called "neighbourhoods."

This is in keeping with the fact that when Randy's television (loaner) fell down and crashed from it ceiling mount NO ONE told me. It was a friend who went to see Randy in June and he checked with me afterward to let me know if I knew that Randy didn't have a TV. Randy was without a TV for a month. Remember that Randy cannot talk or walk and he has a trach, a feeding tube, a peepee tube and he had a traumatic brain injury and because of my limited physical access (this week 12 minutes)to him he has nothing to occupy his time or stimulate his brain except to watch TV or stare at the ceiling and for one month he had nothing. When I got my pension cheque I blew all my dispoable income on a new television for him as it will be the only thing he will have and I wanted him to have the best (an onsale 32inch flatscreen with a DVC for $450. with taxes). I have had to cut $back since then like not taking Randy's pet "his son" he calls Owen, a terrier-poodle cross, to his semi-annual grooming session. Randy never had any children.

60 days and still nothing

2011-08-08T19:30:00.001-07:00

It has been two months since Kip Woodward the Chairman of Vancouver Coastal Health promised to post his email address on his bio on the VCH website. I suspect Napolean Ostrow is stomping his feet and shaking his fists saying to Kip that he doesn't have the budget to ask a low-level tech to add Kip's email address to his bio. Poor powerless Kip; poor powerless the Board; poor us the one-million plus of us who use Vancouver Coastal Health. My grandmother would call this shameful behavior but in today's world there is no such thing as shame. But then the Board might not be aware of what its true function is: it is to audit the policies that exist and the only way the Board might suspect something needs auditing is from complaints/suggestions from the public.
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2011-08-06T20:38:00.001-07:00

Telephones

2011-08-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

Since I couldn't visit with Randy for our two hours yesterday as he was very tired (depressed)I called this morning at 10:30 and left a message for Randy to call me before 1:00. I am allowed to telephone Randy on the days I do not see him. (I made sure that I got permission so I could do this and was told that an email was sent to the ward.} No return call. At 1:30 I telephoned and said that I would be going to GPC and drop off two pictures for him as well as some yellow roses. This I did. I then tried to telephone Randy's nurse to hear if Randy was happy with the roses and the pictures. The head nurse who answered the phone said Helen was coming to answer the phone and then she asked my name and then she said that Helen was too busy and that I wasn't allowed to phone the ward on weekends or go to GPC on weekends. This is not true. The only stipulation now is that I cannot go down Ward 2 as a number of the residents are apparently afraid of me unless accompanied by a supervisor for two to five minutes on the days Randy's isn't up to seeing me. Staff must be reinforcing their fear of I do not know what. This phantom fear has been going on for six months now and surely those that had the fear dictated to them should have gotten over it by now. Or maybe it is not a fear maybe it is just that three or four of the residents just don't like me. I do not know for sure.

After the 3:00 pm shift change I have been trying to phone Randy and the calls are sent to voice mail and I left two voice messages. The last phone call at 9:30 p.m. said for the shift RN to call me. It is now 10:32 the next day Sunday and no one has phoned me from GPC. This isn't an isolated incident. It is the way GPC works. After awhile you give up trying to phone. Oh well, another day, and another phone call to a voice answering machine (10:33 am). I feel that I am a prisoner to waiting for a phone call. For general information up to three weeks ago it never occurred to me that I could phone and talk to Randy. Another don't ask don't tell scenario by staff. I only found out from another resident who said her daughter would call her when she could get someone to answer the phone and the nurse would give the wireless to her. In Randy's case since he cannot talk the only way I know he can hear me is when I ask him to breathe heavily into the phone and quickly before two minutes are up (the seconds are guided by the second hand on my clock) I end the conversation as a nurse is holding the phone to Randy's ear. I can't chance them saying I am taking nursing staff time from during their duties and cutting off this one-sided unable to see communication. There even is a You Tube video found under abuses in nursing homes in the US about staff deflecting phone calls. So it is an universal practice.

I phoned at 1:33 p.m. Sunday and was able to talk to a real person and she connected me with Randy. I asked him if he was disappointed that I didn't phone him yesterday and he breathed heavily twice...

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Computer down addendum Aug 4 2011

2011-08-02T10:05:00.001-07:00

My computer has been done for a few weeks so I haven't posted anything. It has been a nice holiday from reporting my ongoing sojourn with VCH. It has been going on 6 months since my constructive visiting hours were imposed. I can't believe it. In this time of cutbacks management is spending so much time over a patient who was nothing more than a bum and me a 65 year old retired lady who lost 100 pounds over the last year. I owe all this to Kim Sinclair and her team of professionals.

In the event you are not aware of the way patient care is now it is with a "team" of professionals so no one takes any resonsibility for anything. But anyone who has taken psy101 knows all groups by natural selection has a leader who says it is the "team" in any draconian decision making.

I still do not understand their insistence on not giving treatment to those patient that refuse it. It is bizarre. A patient won't want to be in a hospital if they did not want to get well. This is an area of "medical ethics" that is still completely beyond my understanding.

I should remention the reason for the scorn of Kim towards me. Last November 2010 Randy was scheduled to go to die in the infamous George Pearson Centre for three weeks prior to him being transferred. Jill the head neuro nurse just forgot to mention it to me (although the day before I was talking to her) and I found out only by chance from overhearing a student nurse. Randy signed a document witnessed by two naming me as his guardian in case of disability and the hospital had it. Not telling me was deliberate and it got worse after that (more on that later as I still haven't got back my computer).

A Concession.

2011-07-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

I was able to see Randy on Thursday, Friday and Monday. On Tuesday I was told he didn't want to see me. Being in his presence is very calming for me. Because of the police being called on July 2 2011 I was told my visiting rights would still be restricted to 2:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

However, one concession was made if Randy said that he didn't want to see me I could go onto the ward to check on him with a supervisor. GPC doesn't want the police to attend again if I want verification that Randy is okay. I need a superviser with me to ensure that I donot disturb any resident. So I am not sure if it is a concession or not.

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92,253

720 Hours (30 days) and still waiting

2011-07-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

It will be at 11:00 am today 720 hours (30 days: one month) since the Chairman of the Board of Vancouver Coastal Health agreed to post his email address and those of the other Board members on the VCH bio page of directors. (vch.ca)

I suspect Napolean Ostrow is doing everything possible to prevent this from happening. I would like a forensic time line from June 8 2011 as to what has been not been done to comply with this order from the government of VCHA (its Board).
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90,868

Visiting Randy

2011-07-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

I wasn't able to see Randy on Sunday July 3 2011 but on Monday July 4 2011 after having staff deliver Randy a July 4 2011 gift he came out to see me. Although Randy is Canadian he spent most of his life in the USA. Yesterday Tuesday July 5 2011 I was able to see him again. I was so relieved that he was okay that we didn't say much. Just sat close to each other like two old couples. There really isn't too much to say especially when Randy can't talk. Sometimes I can make out that he is moving his lips to say he is not a baby. He was using the room to negotiate his wheelchair. He can only go a few feet with it.

When I am upset I tend to misplace things and now I am tearing my small one room suite apart looking for things. And then to make it worse I get a hydro bill for my new place $160.00 for two months. I live in a 500 square foot basement suite. How can it be that much. I must be totally out of touch with $reality.

Randy conveyed his wish to me yesterday that Joan and Ron his parents come and visit him. I do not know how I can accomplish that miracle. Both of his parents are alive and they live in Casa Grande Arizona. Like all those who have abandoned their famlies to the care of residential care homes, they have too.

No visit with Randy July 2 2011

2011-07-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

I arrived at George Pearson at 1:00 p.m. Gloria the resident co-ordinator arrived at 1:20 with security and said that Randy did not want to see me. She told me to leave. She was accompanied by security. I said I would wait for 30 minutes to see if Randy would change his mind. She told me that she was going to call the police. One-half hour later I approched Gloria and asked her to again ask Randy if he wanted to see me. She refused. The police arrived. I asked the police to ask Randy if he wanted to see me. Gloria refused to let them enter the open ward were Randy was.

On June 21 2011 Randy signed a document reiterating that I was his guardian and he would tell me face-to-face if he didn't want to see me.

A visitor while I was waiting for the police dropped by and said that Randy was restrained and was lashing out violently at the staff. Randy can't speak so he would be moving his hands trying to communicate to a mass of robots. I would have been able to calm him down within sixty seconds by removing his restraints and putting his head on my chest and holding him and then tears would be casscading from his eyes. Randy is trapped in his body; he can't eat; he can't walk; he can't talk; he can't write. He can't even move his fingures to push the television remote. He is gonig through intense trauma and the robots are creating it.

July 1st 2011 weekend

2011-07-01T17:06:00.001-07:00

I just got back from George Pearson Centre. I took the doggies for a long walk and I wanted to drop off a peace lily for Randy. In the last two weeks I was only allowed to visit Randy twice. Staff kept saying that he didn't want to see me.

I wasn't able to see Randy today as I was advised by Bob Chapman that staff leveling would be low and they won't be able to get Randy up. Well that was the truth. I spoke to a mobile resident and was told that 90% of the residents are still in their beds as on holidays staffing is minimal and there is nothing to do. Millions of dollars are donated to hospital structures but no one is willing to spend time with abandoned residential residents. No even one staff member would come and just visit for an hour. They could bring the familes and their children could see where Daddy works. There is no community in an institution. Never mind staff, where are all the union reps.

I was also advised by Bob Chapman because of the long weekend I would be able to visit with Randy on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. provided Randy would see me. The problem with that is how do I trust staff to tell me the real truth. All staff has to do and this has happened in the past when Randy was suppose to be at a team meeting say to Randy at 9:00 a.m. do you want to get out of bed. Of course he will say no; it is too early for him; and the staff at 1:00 p.m. will tell me that he doesn't want to get out of bed therefore he can't see me. They have a script for everything. Since Randy can't talk he can't initiate conversations. And I am not allowed access to his bedside.

P.S. at the team meeting in December 2011, when Randy's doctor arrived all he did was glare at the charge nurse and Randy was ready to attend the meeting within minutes.
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90087
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418 Hours and Nothing

2011-06-25T21:13:00.000-07:00

I suspect Kip must be looking for another chairmanship job as he can't even get VCHA to add his email address and his phone number on the website after 418 hours (from the date and time of his promise at the open board meeeting).

I haven't been doing very much this past week except go and visit Randy and spend time at Laurel and West Boardway with my sign asking for donations to pay for Randy's television. The people are very nice. They all think it is dreadful that the Health Authority does not provide televisions to its patients especially those with brain injuries who need mental stimulation.

210 Hours and Still Waiting

2011-06-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

VCH has a $3 billion budget overseeing one million citizens
Kip.Woodward@vch.ca 604-875-4719 Kip being the Chairman of the Board is the boss of Napolean Ostrow. Napolean is only a paid employee along with with his lady mary.mary and lady-in-waiting kim sinclair.

I was just told by a RN who has worked most of her life in residential care and doesn't want to nurse abandoned patients/residents anymore. She said that a resident in a care home becomes institutionalized at three months which runs parallel to family support networks abandoning 90% of their loved ones. Staff can handle 10% of visitors if staff is convinced that those visitors only devote their time to their loved ones and not even care to know the name of the person in the next bed. (Willey at the time of my banding did not even know Randy's name whose bed is next to Amy's. Willey is the video star in the recent uploaded You Tube video entitled George Pearson Centre). Rather coincidental that my "banding" occurred at the end of February: three months exactly. So even the constructive banding (I am allowed to see Randy three times a week time limit three hours each at a time inconvenient for me so I won't visit) Visitors who visit Charles Manson get five hours (see Saturday's Sun newspaper). It is just another step to further institutionalize Randy so he doesn't feel the need to have visitors especially someone who he thinks is slowly abandoning him because she doesn't come everyday like she used to.

Randy was forced to go to GPC and he does not remember signing the admission papers nor saying he did not want to see me and he did not want to move to George Pearson Centre and when I objected the start of my discrediting (the fourth D)to ensure the third D happens (divide resident/patient from family)by VCHA started. And to think VCHA is doing this deliberately is totally reprehensible. But then how are things going to change when I was the only PUBLIC at the open board meeting of VCHA on June 8th 2011 and Kip can't even get Napoleon after ten days to post Kip's email address on VCH's webpage.

For six months I visited Randy every day at VGH before he was sent to GPC without incident (at least I wasn't aware of any incidents) and then when I advocated for Randy not to move to George Pearson Centre I am told that I was not allowed to see Randy and a

no-contact order

which is a very serious order meaning no one was allowed to visit Randy (not even the Pope) was set into place. Kim Sinclair of risk management went so far as to move him and hide him in the vastness of VGH. I should also mention that VGH knew that Randy was scheduled to go to GPC three weeks beforehand. Randy wasn't told and neither was I. No one told me although I have a piece of paper saying that in the event of disability I was to be his guardian which VGH was aware of. But then why would they respect Randy's wishes or mine. VCHA does what it wants when its wants because it can.

What concerns me about the 90% who have no visitors is how easy it would be for them to be told it is time for you to die, sign here. And they would sign. There are no safeguards for these killings. Even without documentation all staff has to say is that a resident/patient refused treatment. And in Randy's case refusing to be suctioned. When you are sick, decisions that could mean death don't even enter your head you only want to get well. Trust our health care system, I think not.
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88,222

152 Hours and Still Waiting

2011-06-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

Such a simple thing to add an email address but then Skip must be a master of hubris. There is no easy road for us.

The truth from a nurse

2011-06-13T02:22:00.000-07:00

96 Hours and Still Waiting

2011-06-12T13:24:00.001-07:00

I understand that there is such a thing as weekends for directors but they don't need it they should devote eight hours a day from their 100 hour work schedules to hurry Napolean Ostrow to post their emails addresses. Patients and residents of long term facilities and caring friends have no weekends, evenings or holidays off. We demand equality.

Yesterday outside of Zellers at Oakridge I spoke to a woman who agreed with the 5-Ds and who said an associate of hers was fired by mary.mary recently. The associate was due for retirement after 29 years but mary.mary fired her anyways. Mary.mary could have waited. But no "hubris" why should she care for someone who has had a twenty-nine year commitment to health care.

At the Board meeting Skip told me he had an open door for whistleblowers. Those are not the ones he should be speaking to; he should be speaking to those who have exited the grasp of mary.mary and napolean ostrow. Skip should phone those who have exited and ask them to tea in a highend restaurant or better yet to his home and candidly talk with them. By quickly acting hubrisism should be eliminated by the end of the year. That should be something the Board should be able to tell their grandchildren as their greatest life accomplishment. Skip should be invited to the Harvard Business School where mary.mary got her education on how he was able to end hubrisim within six months and hope Harvard cancel mary.mary's degree. A model for the world BC's Health Authorities will become.

After the church service I attended I walked up to GPC to leave Randy a small gift (a pair of socks) with security. On my way off the property (on the sidewalk)I inquired from a resident (she said she was from Ward 6) if she had seen the GPC video. She didn't know anything about it. Another resident said he knew of the video but hadn't seen it because there was no need as he lived there. I wonder what psychological brain washing degree holder from risk management has told those that ask about the video that the staff tell them that it is not necessary to see it because they live there. Brilliant strategy. Yes, Virginia, there is a recent video of George Pearson Centre on You Tube which everyone who has or who will have anything to do with residential health care should visit. It is such a simple title that it is impossible to miss except Centre is spelled the old fashioned English way with RE and that is why I wasn't able to discover it until last week.
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I am closer in age to 70 than 60 ... remember it is us over 60 that do not have the time to wait for slow change and it is not a prerequisite in our fast moving technological world. I am all for open board meetings being held weekly.

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48-hours and waiting

2011-06-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

It has been 48 hours and still Kip Woodward's email address is not on the VCH web page site.

I just checked Providence Health and find that Geoff Platt is the Chair.
Being a lawyer and an attorney-general for BC for nine years he must know of the 5Ds. Kip was the Chair of Providence Health for four years. Both of these chairs are therefore acquiescing that senior staff manage in such a fashion.

And I was the only public at the open board meeting of VCH on June 8 2011... Senior management is doing their jobs: D3 divide public from management by D5 demoralize the public so they know that whatever they do is futile. I hope each senior management employee gets a big bonus because his performance has been stellar.

I am closer to 70 in age than 60 and those of us who are closer in age to 80 than 70 and those of us who are closer in age to 90 than 80 and those of us who are closer in age to 100 than 90 have the time and the $resources to rapidly change how our medical services are delivered.

Martin Luther King Jr. said: Our lives begin to end when we remain silent about things that matter. And health care matters.
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VCHA Open Board Meeting June 8 2010

2011-06-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the Vancouver Coastal Health Board Meeting. It was one of three open board meetings which are open to the public each year. I think it should have monthly open board meetings as there is so much material and if the board meetings happen more often (same date and time and place each month) more people will come. These board meetings should be set up so that they are educational vehicles for the public to learn, to understand, to participate. And the presenters and the Board members and staff should stand not sit when they talk. Sitting hiding behind microphones so no one except the first row can see you is not what I expected. I would like to see who is talking and they all should have name tags. Whispering to someone (security) next to you "who is speaking" is unsettling. I remember getting up in the Q&A period and starting with ... I am closer in age to 70 than 60 but I still can have a voice (or something like that).

I was able to secure a promise from Kip Woodward, the Chairman of the Board, that on the VCHA web page www.vch.ca on the Board Members' page that all the directors' email addresses will be posted bypassing the long hierarchical command of the CEO. He agreed. One victory but then we will have to see how long it takes for it to happen. Napoleon Ostrow (Ostrow looks like Napoleon -- short and stocky)is really in charge as he is the CEO and it will be interesting to see how long since Kip decided this at the Board meeting that this will in deed happen. It is now 30 hours and still no directors' email addresses on the web. D1 is in progress: delay, delay, delay.

Did I mention that I was the only public at the Open Board Meeting although the audience was full of presenters (senior management). Speaking to the converted. It must mean that 1 million people in the Greater Vancouver area is happy with the Health Authority. Happy, happy, happy. This is what I was told by the nursing staff at George Pearson Centre as Randy repeatedly pulls out his trach. I am banned from seeing Randy at his bedside so I do not know how many times he has pulled out his trach or why. But the nurses assured me that when they leave Randy with me for our visits they do not worry about Randy as Randy never pulls out his trach when I visit. One of the nurses also told me that with three visits a week that at least now Randy gets out of his bed three times a week. Does that mean he is confined to his bed when I am not visiting. I asked for a video survilliance but I was told that it was impossible. Why is that in New York State the public interest is paramount to the private interest of employees in nursing homes and cameras are being installed. If I am not allowed to see Randy at his bedside I should at least be able to view him on a webcam.
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Anniversary

2011-06-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

Today, June 7, 2011, is the one year anniversary of Randy's injury. A year to reflect upon with regret.
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87,239

A Caring Friend

2011-05-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

I just came across this video. Please view it. It is on You Tube.

BC's Health Authorities on How to Effectively Communicate with the Public

There are five Ds to effective communication: D1 delay; D2 deny; D3 divide (separate patient from family); D4 discredit; D5 demoralize.

This is after I was told by Dr. Moria Stillwell, MLA for Langara Vancouver, this morning at her compliant meet and greet at the Oakridge Senior Centre, that the Health Authorities are their own governments removed from the jurisdiction of the BC government. I suspect the culprits are the slippery non-profit societies which are taking over everything. We don't have centralized government answerable to the public any more we just have societies (decentralized governments)that can do what they want when they want because they can.

Since the Health Authorities are beyond the reach of the legislature, I hope that those of you who read this and have a video camera will record the You Tube video (i.e. take a video of the video) before the Health Authorities force Paul to take it off the internet.

The couple who promised the flat screen TV never delivered it. So I had to buy Randy a new one. Although it was greatly reduced from its original price, it took a big bite out of my pension monies. I am down to $55.00 for the month and I still have to pay my hydro.
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86,597

A Caring Friend

2011-05-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

I went to see Randy yesterday. It was a beautiful day. (Rain is now forecasted for the next two weeks.) I asked if I could take Randy out into the patio area (the garden area where we were on Tuesday). I was told no by Tanu. I do not understand what is going on. Randy has me, he has a security guard, and the patio area is isolated so I can't talk/terrorize anyone there. So we had to sit in a hot hot hot room for three hours. The BC Government is paying George Pearson Centre $12,000 a month for his care and comfort. I am not a doctor so I do not know about the care but I know the comfort is being denied him. He doesn't have a fan at his bed which I was told GPC is suppose to provide or a television so he can at least watch television during the long weekends and evenings when staffing levels are low and he has no visitors (not even me who lives nearby as I have been banned durng these times) no activities, no nothing.

The television is going to be a bone of contention with me for a very very long time as no staff told me that Randy had no television. I was told by a casual acquaintance like "did you know Randy didn't have a tv any more." A television under the Health Act is not considered part of care unless you are a drug addict at St Pauls (no other hospital in BC has free tv for patients) then you have your own personal paid for television.

Someone like Randy who has a brain injury has no stimulation. He only has hours and hours of nothing so he can scheme on how and when to pull out his trach. On Saturday I was on the street asking for donations for Randy. A couple stopped and said they had a flat screen tv which they never use. A flat screen is necessary so that it isn't as heavy as the old loaner tv Randy had that fell down injuring a nurse on its way to the floor because of its weight. The screens are bolted to the ceilings. I gave them the address of GPC. I hope they deliver the tv to GPC and also visit Randy.

Yesterday Randy had a new Olympic t-shirt on, (I found a place that sells the surplus Olympic tees 3 for $10.00 but I could only afford one which I bought him the day before), a baseball cap, pj bottoms. He had no shoes on, no sherpa lined slippers, no socks. Although it was very hot and his hands and body were warm his feet were very cold and very blue. I have been taking an extra pair of socks each time I go so I can put socks on him and massage his feet until they warm up. He spent time trying to write his name on a white board and navigating his wheel chair. It was very hot so both of us didn't feel like doing much. We rested in the heat.

The doggies were tied up on long leashes in the shade on the patio area and hardly moved for the three hours because of the heat.

What is GPC doing. Are they being cruel just because they can. There is no other noun to use except cruel and I dare GPC to explain otherwise.

If there are vulnerable residents in GPC (there are no old people there)that are afraid of me then I would like to know who they are and who decides they are vulnerable and more importantly who told them to be afraid of me. I am an old lady that takes in rescued dogs. I am not going to hurt anyone. The harshest thing I have every done to the doggies is say QUIET in a stern voice. At best I would rescue a few GPC residents that were unhappy by talking to them and inviting them to become friendly with Randy's doggies. At least then they would have something like a family to look forward to when I visit Randy. The big dog is called Missey and the little dog is called Owen. Both doggies are very friendly and affectionate. But that is never going to happen because of Charge Nurse Tanu's rule: I am not to talk to anyone unless they talk to me first. And some of the residents can't even talk...

Again GPC is not a hospital it is a residential care facility i.e. homes where residents live as free Canadian citizens. These residents have their own voices; GPC should not be speaking for them. None of them are immediately palliative.

What made my day on Friday was a sign posted by GPC in the piano room boldly stating that any furniture is not to be moved and on the bottom of the post printed in ink were the words

This is your home so move the furniture if you want

finally, the start of a revolution by the residents within George Pearson Centre. The piano room is a common room so if a resident wants to move furniture around let them. And if the next resident wants to do so let them. I remember my mom would be constantly rearranging furniture. It made life a bit more interesting and it is free.
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85,699

A Caring Friend

2011-05-17T22:38:00.001-07:00

There has been much confusion as to my connection to Randy. So I decided what I am is a caring friend, nothing more complicated. A caring friend could be a relative or a spouse but not necessarily.

Randy was in good form today but his feet were cold so I took off my socks and put them on him. When I was allowed to do his laundry I always made sure Randy had adequate socks and t-shirts and pj bottoms. I also worry about his plants and flowers I send him on the days I am not allowed to see him. The plants need to be water sprayed and the flowers have to have its water changed daily. And now he doesn't have a television as it fell down from its ceiling brackets unto the floor last week. It was an old television that did not have a remote that was left by another resident who had no further use for it as he was dead. Randy had to rely on me or staff (?) to make sure he had it on and a channel he wanted to watch. I will look for a small flat screen tv with a remote over the weekend and hopefully the tech people can have it installed soon. Nothing gets done quickly at GPC; it will probably take a month before Randy has a television again. I worry about Randy if he doesn't have any distractions the isolation will cause him to lash out. The nurses will have to restrain him which will just anger him more. Randy can read but he can't hold a newspaper or use his fingers to flip papers. So he can't even read a book; he is just wasted.
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85,264

Etc.

2011-05-16T06:01:00.001-07:00

Like everyday there is something to do but nothing seems to be accomplished.

I am hoping this week to renew my interest in the proposed new BC Society Act which is suppose to come into effect 2012. It is an Act that has already been lobbied and written by the law profession. From my reading of it it makes Societies more secretive than they are now. The BC Government wants noting to do with the governance of a society except to register it. The number of directors can be only one. So who will be watching the store. If you look at the governance of Broadmead Care Society in Saanich you can speculate how badly it is managed. Any non-profit that has 400 employees (250 parttime) and only 10 employees who earn more than $40,000 a year has to be red flagged. I wonder who earns the $150,000 salary.

Also I blame the directors of Broadmead Care Society as each and everyone of them should have interviewed Kathleen three years ago and even the day before her death and maybe this injustice would not have happened to Kathleen to determine to their satisfaction if Kathleen was of sound mind. It is only commonsense that spells out that a home setting is better than an institution. The law is based on what a "reasonable man" would assume. They could have used moral suasion if they felt the sons were being unreasonable and even if the doctor and staff at Broadmead just made a bad assessment because of money and time constraints. Being a director does not mean that you hide and just wait to be reelected to your prestigeous position in the community. Each one of them should be ashamed of their behavior. They have a fiduciary duty not only to Kathleen, the Care Society, but also to the public. And to make it worse Broadmead primarily is a veterans residential care facility.

Although I haven't heard anything further re Lois Samspon about her mother and nothing has been advertised as to when her mother's funeral or memorial service will happen, it is wrong that the next-of-kin can decide whatever he wants to do with Kathleen's body. After death a tribute is only respectful and necessary. Whatever Ralphie is doing is morally wrong.

Granny Snatching: Kathleen Palamarek – July 15, 1922 – May 4, 2011

2011-05-12T04:49:00.000-07:00

Granny Snatching: Kathleen Palamarek – July 15, 1922 – May 4, 2011

It is Too Late for Kathleen

2011-05-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

I just recently started following Kathleen's detainment at Broadmead Manor in Saanich/Victoria BC. The decision ending a three year court case to determine whether or not Kathleen could live with her daughter, Lois Sampson, was delivered on Tuesday May 3 2011. The Judgment said no. The next day Wednesday May 4 2011 Kathleen died at Broadmead.

There is an old proverb

In a thousand pounds of law there is not an ounce of love.

Kathleen's wanting to live with her daughter has been written up in a series of articles in CTWatchdog.com. CTWatchdog is an American publication. So all of you who subscribe to the postmedia Canadian empire, please unscribe to it.

Even in the CTWatchdog blog it isn't easy to find the reference to Kathleen Palamarek. However if you use its search function upper right corner and type in granny snatching , you will find the various posts written about her.

I have been trying to find out when the funeral/service will be held as I would like to attend it. I was just advised by McCall Bros Funeral Directors Ltd. who own all the funeral homes in Victoria/Saanich that it has no record of her death. I was also advised that the family does not have to tell anyone. I have never heard of such a thing.

In the area governed by Vancouver Coastal Health there are signs posted all over stating that patients/residents can change their mind so this policy should be the same for Island Coastal Health.

Let Kathleen live with her daughter, live at Broadmead, live on the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, wherever and whenever she wants and she should be allowed to change her mind whenever she wants.

As to her mental capacity all you have to do is see the video which is embedded in the third paragraph of Ron Winter's last post which video was taken two weeks before she died. Judge the video, be angry, stay angry. God, help us.

Audrey
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84526

Another Case of Stupidity by B.C. Health Authority

2011-05-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

... Soon thereafter Broadmead’s lawyer, Harold Rusk of the Victoria, B.C. law firm JONES EMERY HARGREAVES SWAN, sent a letter (mid-April 2011) by courier to Lois Sampson alleging that she is a danger to others and that Broadmead Lodge would be severely restricting her visitation to her mother.

Exactly the same rational Vancouver Coastal Health Authority used against me for constructively banning me from George Pearson Centre. So I am not the only one. But I am allowed three hours each on Monday, Tuesday and Friday which are very inconvenient for me. And, we have our own personal security guards to oversee who I might speak to. So where is the BCCLA and the BCCPD? The BCCLA wants a law to kill old people and the BCCPD is funded by Vancouver Coastal Health.

In my case Randy has asked that I be allowed to visit at the regular scheduled visiting hours being seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. He knows that I am not a threat to anyone. Randy is of sound mind and I believed he had control over what he wants. George Pearson Centre is a residential care facility, residential means it is Randy's home and he has the right to see who he wants when he wants and "visitors" have the right to visit if they believe there is an implied invitation to do so.

Please refer to http://CTwatchdog.com/2011/04/13/granny-snatching-canadian-drug-overdose-case-update-aka-bizarro-world.

BCCLA = BC Civil Liberties Association
BCCPD = BC Coalition of Persons with Disabilities
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84,008

Randy Greets the Sun

2011-05-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

It has been eleven months and today at 3:00 p.m. while visiting Randy, Randy and I were asked to join the Garden Club at George Pearson Centre. This was the first time in eleven months that the sun was able to warm Randy's skin. The Garden Club meets outside during the summer on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 4:00. Although doing this was mentioned weeks before and I had purchased the seeds for a garden plot, I did not believe that it would materialize. The recreation staff included Randy in the process and Randy enjoyed the attention. I didn't say much. The sun was out, the grass was green, the people were friendly, it was idyllic. When the staff mentioned that it was approaching 4:00 p.m. Randy did not want to leave. His quality of life had been enriched...

addendum: there were a number of residents from Ward 2 (Randy's ward) and none of them appeared to be uncomfortable with me being there.
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A Visit with Randy

2011-05-02T20:06:00.001-07:00

I visited Randy this afternoon under security again. I still can't believe how stupid this is but then who am I to question Vancouver Coastal Health.

For the most part Randy was very sad. It has been eleven months since his accident and he hasn't even been outside once except for the transport from VGH to GPC. I am so proud of him for still being alive.

His nurse left Randy with me and ran out of the room. Liz wasn't going to allow me to ask her one question. No staff came by: no Marion, no Sam the social worker, nor the respiratory therapist or the speech therapist. No one. I am suppose to be getting training on how to suction Randy so that I can take him out of the building outside to the gardens. The nursing staff is not allowed to take patients out on outings. So if an immobile patient doesn't have a visitor he never sees the sun.

I was given written instructions from the speech therapist on how to assist Randy in learning how to speak with a voice enhancer. Randy has had a voice enhancer for the past two weeks and he tries very hard to talk. Today, no voice enhancer and Randy did try to talk to me but I could not understand what he was trying to say. He got very frustrated. The cruelty of GPC only gets worse with each day.

I bribed Randy with a $5.00 bill to use his wheel chair. He coveted the $5.00 as he hide it under his lap blanket. I also showed him a photocopy of my blog of yesterday and he seemed pleased. I told him he was helping all the other people who have been treated badly by the system. He understands that I have no money for lawyers so the blog is the only thing we can do. I apologized to him for not blogging everything but then for the past months I have been so emotionally upset I didn't have the energy and there was a fear that it would make matters worse.

I showed him pictures of what I was doing this weekend and I asked him to take a picture of me. It took a long time for him to coordinate his fingers so that he could push so the flash would work.

I told Randy that I had seen a touch cell phone which he might be able to use and he was very keen on that.
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No More Flowers Sunday

2011-05-01T15:58:00.001-07:00

I went to George Pearson Centre for a walk with the doggies and to deliver pots of Kalanchoes to a few residents. I arranged for three pots to be given to Randy Michael Walker. As I was leaving at 2:45 a security guard runs up to me and tell me that I cannot give Randy any more flowers. Yesterday I was told that he had only one plant so three bright red plants won't be too much for his room considering I was told that he was given a special table dedicated for flowers. But then since I haven't been able to go and see Randy's area, maybe the table was never there and all the flowers I have been sending him were being thrashed. Liz was the charge nurse on duty today and told security that I could not give Randy flowers. The said nurse did not call me back after I left her a telephone message to call me at 3:00 p.m. But then the staff never phones me. It is as if they are told that they are not allowed to talk to me. As for friendships, I asked a woman who has been there for one year if she had made friends at George Pearson. She was on the sidewalk. She said no; this echos what Randy told me last week. I asked her why and she said it she didn't know. How can residents make true friends within George Pearson Centre when they can't even associate with each other as no one takes the first introductory step to introduce themselves as doing so is against the rules.

I Made a Terrible Mistake Part 1

2011-05-01T05:15:00.000-07:00

I made a terrible terrible mistake. From the very beginning of my suspected problems with Vancouver Coastal Health I should have diarized everything on the blog. The events of this past week only reinforced by regret.

After the long Easter weekend in which I wasn't allowed to see Randy I arrived at George Pearson Centre at 1:00 p.m. to see Randy. I was advised that Randy did not want to see me. I told the staff member that was impossible. She said that Randy did not get out of bed. Why was he still in his bed at 1:00 p.m. He should have been dressed and in his wheelchair which is the routine at 9:00 a.m. The RN on Tuesday was Helen who had told me prior to my banning that she was always able to get Randy up into his wheelchair each day. So why wasn't she able to get Randy up. I was invited to wait for thirty minutes in case he changed his mind. He didn't. I was so angry that I proceeded to leave and a staff member said to me that if I had done anything (like walk down the hall to see Randy) it would have jeopardized further visiting rights. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to make the decision to leave as there were three security guards outside the piano room which was reserved for the three hours I was scheduled to visit Randy. Randy has always been motivated by money. I couldn't even get him to take out the garbage unless I gave him $10.00. So I went into my wallet and pulled out $30.00 and told the staff member to tell Randy I would give him $30.00 if he got out of bed and came to see me. The staff member refused. I then left. On Thursday the next scheduled visiting day I asked Randy if he told the staff that he didn't want to see me. He said NO. Although Randy cannot speak, he can move his head to indicate yes or no. But then Randy had brain damage so he could have said NO when he meant YES. The point is if Randy is of sound mind which Vancouver Coastal Health has assured me he can make his own decisions, then he is a capable man over twenty-one (he is 54) he can tell me face-to-face that he doesn't want to see me. Randy is not a stupid man. I suspect he was upset at me because I wasn't able to go and see him for a period of four days over the Easter weekend and he decided to make an issue of that. Or maybe he thought that I should go and see him in the ward bypassing security. But that was impossible as a staff member told me that she had to protect the other residents from me. I have talked to some of the residents from Pearson up by Oakridge mall (those that have power wheelchairs and hang out on the street) and none of them knew who I was or that they were afraid of me. I remember asking two of those residents if they would talk to Marion at GPC and tell her they were not afraid of me and was told by both that they would not do so as no one helped them. What a terrible institution that creates an environment that the residents do not help each other with something as simple as the truth. Oh, yes, there is also a legislated Residents Council who won't intervene as well. On one occasion outside GPC when I asked the friend of Joy who is the President of the Residents Council to take a bouquet of flowers to Randy he ran from me as if I was a leper. Prior to my banning this man and I talked often and he told me that he had been visiting Joy for over twenty years and that prior to his retirement he had worked at George Pearson Centre.
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Cruelty Inc.

2011-04-29T16:39:00.001-07:00

I just left Randy after I visited him from 1:00 to 4:00 in the piano room at George Pearson Station. When I told him I could not see him until Monday he got angry, combative, and agitated. He kept shaking his head. No. No. No. When the nurse forced the wheelchair into the hallway, Randy put the brake on the wheelchair. He did not want to leave me.

What kind of cruel sick system do we have that treats a grown man with such contempt. I found out today that Dr. Perry Kendall, Provincial Health Officer, is responsible for this state of patient imprisonment.

George Pearson Centre is not a hospital; it is an extended care facility: a resident's home. It cannot take Randy's rights away from him without due process. The due process exercised here was that of a bully visitor who managed to engage other wanabee bullies to cause grief just for the sake that they can do it. I cannot forgive them.

In Vancouver Coastal Health's Workplace and Human Rights Policy it states Step # 1 ... Persons who experience disrespectful conduct or discrimination are strongly encouraged to engage in a conversation with the other person (s) to clarify and resolve the concerns. Although I asked for this, I was told that it was impossible.

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83,502

Easter Weekend

2011-04-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

When I spoke to Randy on Thursday that I would not be able to see him over the Easter weekend four days because George Pearson Centre won't let me, he became very angry and tried to get out of his wheelchair as he attempted to pull out his life support tubes from his body so he could go home with me. It is still haunting his eyes in terror not wanting this to happen. Whatever the perceived wrong I did is pale to the pain Randy is suffering. Being a prisoner in his own body and the George Pearson Centre making it worse. Besides Randy what about me. All I am doing is crying, I can't sleep, and I keep having flashbacks to what caused this injustice and it is an injustice. By its own Respectful Workplace and Human Rights Policy Vancouver Coastal Health has violated both mine and Randy's Rights and by such conduct the Rights of every person and their families in residential care.

You Can't Keep A Good Man Down

2011-04-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

As I watched Randy leaning over trying to navigate the baby wheels of his new Transporter Chair in an attempt to make it move, I ran over to the drug store and bought him a cane. It didn't take him long to figure out if he pushed the cane on the floor his new transporter chair would move.

VCH devoid of moral reasoning and/or cost benefit analysis

2011-04-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to see Randy during my restrictive visiting hours. This time I had two securities guards watching me and Randy and at 4:00 p.m. accompany me off the property to the sidewalk. I can't believe this is happening but it is. Since being constructively banned from GPC on March 1st 2011 I must have cost the Vancouver Health Authority $50,000 deflecting from what they should be doing to "making an example" of what I do not know. It isn't security that is costing the money, it is the behind the scenes meetings at the top level of Vancouver Coastal Health at $500 an hour, their lawyers, etc.

And now it is the new $7,000 wheel chair without wheels that was delivered to Randy on Friday. Believe it. It has no wheels; just little tiny wheels like baby strollers have. Nothing to make him self mobile. It is called an egometric transporter chair.

When I see Randy I do not visit. I do the best I can to motivate and one area has been training him to manipulate the loaner wheelchair he had so he could be mobile. When I showed him a $50 bill across the room he went for it. It would take him awhile as he inched towards the $50 bill but he did it.

And the cost of Randy's care to date (10 months) over $One Million only to be denied his mobility and his right of association. Something is terribly wrong. And all the advice I have been given is that I have to play the game. Why. There should be no game to play.
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82,246

George Pearson Centre (amended Monday am)

2011-04-09T04:54:00.000-07:00

I can't figure this one out. I am Randy's primary caregiver and yet I am being denied the legislated right to give him care. I do not take kindly to be falsely accused of things, nor being denied my rights, nor not being able to carrying out my duties as Randy's caregiver. I need access to him 24 hours a day so I can assure myself that he is alive and getting adequate care.

Since the reason for my banning is that the residents are

afraid

of me, I find this incredible to believe unless they have been programmed to know this by their captures and GPC hiding behind "confidentiality" only makes it worse. I find it impossible to believe that any resident would be afraid of me; least of all 100 of them. Now I am advised that this group has now been expanded globally to include staff, families and visitors (400 more people). I am sure Mary Achenhusen must be at the top of the list.

Yesterday I left a few flowers for Randy with a nurse to give to Randy. The nurse was accompanied by a security guard. I phoned ahead and said I would be on the sidewalk @ 2:00 p.m.and would someone come and get the bouquet. Bizarre. All this over a 65 year old lady weighing <120 pounds 5'1" with no marital arts training who only wanted to be friendly. Nothing worse is going to a residential care facility and the only thing you see are residents in bed watching television 24/7. Where are their families.
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81637

George Pearson Centre

2011-04-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

Marion, I got a piece of paper signed by Randy today saying that he wants to see me everyday like I have been for nine months. You better have a very good explanation as to why this is impossible. It is very clear to me that you would have let Randy die rather than allow me to visit Randy except on your restrictive unreasonable terms.

"on Fri, 4/1/11, Biln, Marion [VA] wrote:

From: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: Re: audreyjanelaferriere
To: "'audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca'"
Received: Friday, April 1, 2011, 5:31 PM

Audrey, I do appreciate that you would like to be at GPC during those times but that is not possible
We will need to keep to the original plan of monday, tuesday,friday from 1-4
I will let Kate know that you are interested in getting training in suctioning
Marion Biln

From: Audrey Jane Laferriere [mailto:audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 12:16 PM
To: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere

The second situation was created by Bob by his failure to quickly end the malicious gossip and bullying caused by your staff, residents and visitors. I was recently accused of stealing an eight cent tomato and this is no different.

Next week I am free during the daylight hours so I will be wanting to visit Randy each weekday from 9:00 to 4:00. I want to visit him in the ward so I can interact with his nursing staff to satisfy myself that he is getting the mandated care and also tend to his entertainment, educational and physio needs. Considering the dire state of health care dollars, I know you will welcome any assistance I can give. It was agreed that your RT would train me to suction Randy so this coming week would be a good time to begin the training.

Your security can accompany me and stand guard as long as they are standing and not sitting. Do not worry I will not call out if Joy is choking to death and there is no one on the floor to come to her aid.

I will also wear a scarlett letter on my sweater to make sure that residents, visitors and staff stay away from me.

--- On Fri, 4/1/11, Biln, Marion [VA] wrote:

From: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere
To: "'Audrey Jane Laferriere'"
Received: Friday, April 1, 2011, 2:38 PM

We did speak to you about the concerns at our meeting on Feb 23rd- unfortunately there was a second situation shortly after that meeting

I am unable to be here this afternoon during your visit- will leave the info on visiting for you with security and hopefully connect on Monday

marion

604.322.8308

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Audrey Jane Laferriere [mailto:audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 7:38 AM
To: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere

How can you make that kind of decision without evern talking to me. I should have been the fourth part of this team.

--- On Fri, 4/1/11, Biln, Marion [VA] wrote:

From: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere
To: "'Audrey Jane Laferriere'"
Received: Friday, April 1, 2011, 10:34 AM

These decisions are never done lightly or without extensive consultation- so it would be a team decision, between security, risk management, and myself as the manger of residential services at GPC

marion

604.322.8308

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Audrey Jane Laferriere [mailto:audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 7:31 AM
To: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere

So, who is doing the restricting of hours.

"The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts."--Edmund Burke

--- On Thu, 3/31/11, Biln, Marion [VA] wrote:

From: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere
To: "'Audrey Jane Laferriere'"
Received: Thursday, March 31, 2011, 11:00 AM

Audrey, keep me posted and we will see what we can do ...

At this time you are restricted to weekday days ( 5 days per week) so this gives us a fair amount of flexibility-

on

604.322.8308

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Audrey Jane Laferriere [mailto:audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2011 7:57 AM
To: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere

Marion , after paying my rent I have little money. I have to find some kind of work and that means day hours and the restrictive visiting hours is making it very difficult.

--- On Thu, 3/31/11, Biln, Marion [VA] wrote:

From: Biln, Marion [VA]
Subject: RE: audreyjanelaferriere
To: "'Audrey Jane Laferriere'" , "Chapman, Bob [VC]" , Received: Thursday, March 31, 2011, 10:34 AM

After I spoke with you I did follow up with supervisors and staff about the Saturday incident and possible misconceptions

I am aware of the trach issues as we have spoken before- do you remember the circumstances or timeline regarding the three gashes

I did check on Randy this morning, and he seems well and comfortable in bed-

The recreation department was wondering if you and Randy would like to have a garden plot to plant flowers in- the gardening program is on Tuesday so it would fit in with your planned visits- it runs from 2-4 – I can get you some information on the program if you are interested

marion

604.322.8308

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Audrey Jane Laferriere [mailto:audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 6:03 PM
To: Biln, Marion [VA]; Chapman, Bob [VC];
Subject: audreyjanelaferriere

I was right. For three weeks I stayed away from GPC and then when I agreed to your "I am going to punish Audrey terms" I agreed to see Randy and what I feared has happened. You are just looking for a further excuse to ban me forever so that Randy will die for lack of a will to live and he won't understand why. All I am is spied up and incident reports created. Please be advised that the subject of the eight page incident report about the flowers were the ones I left at gpc at 9:30 in the morning Sunday for Randy and they were purchased from Cambie Flowers on late Saturday evening for $5.00. They were wrapped in clear cellophane surrounded by a pink waxed paper with raffelle ribbon. The mini orchids could not be misinterpreted to be from the grounds of George Pearson Centre. You told Security that the flowers came from the gardens of stephen king centre. Suggest you speak to the nursing staff on Sunday as I am sure none of them would have been part of this persecution.

As far as I am concerned you are denying Randy the right to additional care considering the wide spread belief of lack of funding. You should be encouraging those like me to spend as much time as possible with residents to audit their progress each day. Randy has had numerous incidents at George Pearson respecting his trach and also I seem to remember three gashes in his head which was never investigated and today small gashes on his hands. And on Monday I noticed his trach tie was bloodied and there was droplets of blood on his wheel chair: arm rest and wheel.

Randy told me he does NOT like it at George Pearson, he gives Dr. Dunn a finger whenever I speak of him, he wants to go home and unless he sees some progress he will surely pull out his life support again and the next time your overworked staff will not arrive in time to save his life.

80,925

Stephen King Centre (a.k.a. George Pearson Centre)

2011-03-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

I asked Tanu weeks ago if she could provide a trolley with wheels so that I could place the flowers I bring for Randy on it and wheel it in front of his feet or at the side of his bed. I am quite willing to pay for the cart. Placing flowers on his sidetab.le is stupid as he he edge of his bed he can view them all the time AND the flowers would also be visible to all the other residents, visitors and staff, so that the flowers can uplift their spirits. In January I took an empty trolley and the flowers looked nice except the next shift moved the flowers on the cupboards behind Randy's head and an incident report was written. This should not be difficult to implement as other residents have hugh older model televisons on stationary tables at their bedsides restricting free flow of staff.
80,094
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GPC - March 2 2011

2011-03-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

email sent to Paul, the author of civilrightsnow.com

Paul you were right as per your blog. Do not trust anyone at VCH. I had a meeting with Bob who is risk management manager last Wednesday and I felt from that meeting that I could be friendly to the residents at GPC. On Monday evening I made a brief comment to a resident at his doorway and I was accused of going into his room which I did not do and I was banned. I was not even given the opportunity of responding to any of the other allegations most of which could have been easily explained. VCH has put Randy's life as well as my own at risk. If Randy does not have daily contact with me he will lose his will to live and he will die. I assure you that VCH has more power than any police force in the Province. Abuse of power is a mild term: what they are are bullies.

What I do not understand is that I was told that the resident's room is his home but yet I was removed yesterday from Randy's room by the police who said that GPC is a hospital and GPC can determine who can visit and who cannot.

These four months have been hard on me physically and emotionally. I can't even eat. What food I force myself to eat I vomit. I may die before Randy. It is well known that a caring caregiver lessens her life by ten years by doing what I am doing.

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Another Week

2010-10-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

I apologize again for not writing. It is just that I have so little energy that I can't seem to do anything. I have so many things go through my mind but yet I have a writer's block. I am sure it will pass. There is so many things happening ...
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Why governance is failing

2010-10-10T07:13:00.001-07:00

I keep thinking about why democracy is failing and it always goes back to non-profits/societies. Non-profits are where the politicians learn their trade. And that is why good people do not want to participate in non-profits or higher levels of governing. Once you realize that a non-profit is or has the potential of being corrupt you do not want to be part of it. It is too draining both emotionally and financially unless of course you are the one controlling the non-profit or gaining some reward from being part of it: like group love and affection. When those that are taught how easy it is to do not to do the right thing and then they can filter their way into higher government positions like city hall, the provincial and federal governments, there is no hope. It is a true conspiracy of silence. Have you ever heard of one non-profit being critical of another non-profit. Need I say more. I remember asking a MLA about the failure of DERA to give me its membership ship list and he agreed that DERA was right and he knew I was a director. This was a man who rose through the ranks of non-profits. The purpose of a membership list is so that other members can communicate with each other so that there is some measure of fair exchange of ideas and for checks and balances. Refusing to allow members access to a membership list is the worst thing any organization can do. It is the members that run a non-profit not a hired employee (executive-director). Do not think funders are going to protect as they themselves are mostly non-profits.
THE REASON WHY THE BYLAWS OF SOCIETIES HAVE TO BE UNIVERSAL IS BECAUSE SOCIETIES ARE A PLACE WHERE GOVERNANCE HAPPENS AND IT HAS TO BE THE SAME SO ALL UNDERSTAND IT IS A PLACE TO LEARN AND PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT OK AT LOW HIERARCHICAL SCALE. ALL GOVERNMENTS -- CITY, PROVINCIAL, FEDERAL ARE ALL SOCIETIES FORMED FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND THUS ALL SOCIETIES HAVE TO HAVE THE SAME GOVERNANCE RULES. WHAT IS BEING PROPOED THAT THE NEW SOCIETY ACT 2012 CONTAIN A PROVISION THAT TO MET THE PUBLIC INTEREST CRITERIA THAT ONLY ONE DIRECTOR BE ALL THAT IS NEEDED. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT A SOCIETY ONLY HAS TO HAVE ONE MEMBER.THE ACT WILL ALSO GIVE BOARDS TOO MUCH POWER SO THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO OFFER INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC OR EVEN THEIR OWN MEMBERS. THIS IS TOTALLY BIZARRE. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE 26,000 CELLS WHICH COULD BORDER ON TERRORISM WHICH WOULD BE LAWFUL. DONATED AND TAXPAYER MONEY WILL BE DIRECTED TO AND PAID ON ON THE WHIM OF ONE PERSON. POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY.

Not well.

2010-10-06T08:56:00.001-07:00

I have been extremely under the weather these past weeks and it seems to be getting worse. I hope in my absence guest bloggers from the City will submit posts so they can be posted here.

I received an email from the Association of Neighbourhood Houses stating the the DTES Neighbourhood House is not of its Association and that the DTES Neighbourhood House is independent. I wonder if the funders of the DTES Neighbourhood House are aware of this salient fact.

Closures of Group Homes

2010-09-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

Is this really about closing group homes or is it that the non-profits are not providing what they are saying they are suppose to be doing and it is easier for the government to close them down then expose/prosecute them for abuse by neglect. I was told recently by three workers of group homes for adults that the government wasn't giving them enough money and they had to cut down on the purchase of food. But then that is what DERA kept saying BCH that is did not give it enough money to operate. At $100,000 per group home resident I find not having enough money for food hard to believe and they having to rely on food banks deployable. But then knowing how easy it is for E/Ds to be legally corrupt, I have to ask. Any comments, please direct them to me. audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca

2010-09-24T13:09:00.001-07:00

City Council Thursday 23 September 2010

2010-09-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

Short read given to City Counsel on Thursday about the need for better shelters and the change of the status quo.

To be most humanistic and cost effective we have to know what the HOUSING FIRST model really means. It does not mean to put a homeless person in a shelter or in a SRO or in a transition house or in a supportive unit and say that this is HOUSING FIRST and your new home. The homeless must be in a temporary well run shelter system first then they go directly to affordable self-contained market housing with off site supports, if necessary. Get rid of SROs, supportive housing, transition housing and even social housing.

There is a mountain of recent acadmic research to say that HOUSING FIRST is the most cost effective and humanistic way to proceed. See acadminc literate : Pathways New York.

Supportive Housing is best described as a hospic with 24 hour security ie. a minimum security prison.

Market affordable housing units have to be scattered in every housing complex; not ghettorized in one buildings or on one floor or in one section. If supports are necessary the resident can go offsite and access them. Those with deficits will not change unless they want to and there is no hard evidence to suggest that high cost supports (dedicated supportive housing) will change enough behavior long-term to warrant the method or cost.

By scattering housing in for-profit rental communities, we need no money to build more social housing.
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Update

2010-09-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing seems to be happening.

However, I am thinking about creating a movement for the humanitarism and priortization of social policy from an individualist point of view rather than a representative point of view.
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Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House

2010-09-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended with a new Canadian friend for a few minutes the Open House at the DTNH on East Hastings Street at Princess Street. The theme was food. Everyone in the NH was very healthy looking and they were eating finger foods. No near-hungry down-and-out people there. I picked up a nacho chip and dipped it into a green coloured dip. I think it was avocado. I was immediately chastised by one of DTNH employees who told me that my mode of eating nachos was not hygienic. Apparently, according to her you are suppose to spoon out dip to a separate plate rather than just dip the nacho in the dip bowl. I stared at this ignorant woman with disbelief who then advised me that she was a PAID employee as if had some authority and she continued on and on that my mode of eating a chip-and-dip was unhygienic. I suggested to her to remove the contaminated nachos and dip. She didn't. Her behaviour embarrassed me in front of my new Canadian friend, Ellen Woodsworth, Suzanne Anton, funders and others who were at the DTNH opening.
PS I checked with two of my Mexican friends last night who laughed at the instructions given to me as to how to eat a nacho. I was told that eating nachos was a sharing/community thing and Mexicans would never parcel out bits of dip to separate plates.
Addendum. On my way out I asked the E/D of the DTNH why there even was a neighbourhood house considering there seems to be at least one community center on every block in the DTES. I was told to take it up with the funders. Another addendum, why are there so many paid employees working in non-profits, whatever happened to volunteers and the residents helping each other. Maybe it has something to do with creating union wage/make work projects. Funders just give give give give only to say that they give give give give.

Sunrise-Soya and the VPD

2010-09-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

I got written up in the Georgia Straight newspaper on Thursday regarding me being physically assaulted. You might want to read up about it. I do not have the time right now to comment about being beaten up over a eight cent tomatoe. When I went to the VPD police station a week ago Friday to ask it to take pictures of the bruising caused by its members it refused. So much about the police policing themselves.
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Not well

2010-09-09T09:36:00.001-07:00

I have not been visiting my blog in order to post as for the past month I have been lacking in energy. I have moments when my "activism" comes out (see http://downtowneastsideenquirer.blogspot.com)but I am trying to contain my ballistic incidents as I have no choice. I lost 40 pounds in two months, I sleep 12-14 hours a day, and I feel extremely weak. I am fortunate that three of my fuckup friends who know they are fucked up are now looking after the doggies so I can spend my time sleeping.

My next campaign will be http://araizapets.blogspot.com. It will be a campaign to change the Residential Tenanacy Act to legally allow pets in all rentals based on Ontario's rental legislation. If you support this, email me your name, contact address, phone number would be welcomed, and any comments. I will be sending updates to you and research on why pets are necessary especially for the well-being of empty nesters.

I really do not want to deal with the marxist control politics that is happening in the DTES. Groups go after a large population membership base and then do everything possible not to include those members in decision making by creating committees upon committees with the same core members in them.

When I feel better I will be continuing to look into the Society Act and how whimpy it is. The new proposed Act has to take into account not process but rather the need for a universal set of rules.
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911 Emergency Ambulance

2010-08-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

UPDATE:9 September 2010. I was able to finally find out who the gent was that I helped. He lives upstairs in my building and I did know who him. When I went to St. Pauls he told me that no one from the building or anyone else had contacted him. I was the only one. The downtown eastside is awash with money to make sure that its residents are community but when someone goes missing for two weeks he vanishes into cyberspace and nothing.

On Wednesday I had the occasion to come across a gent who was in medical distress. I saw him from two blocks away trying to get someone's attention that he needed help. I ran up to him and it was obvious that he was in need of medical help. He was very disoriented. I had Kenny the manager of the building next door phone 911. No one came. I paniced and I ran upstairs to phone 911 and again report the incident. No one came. On the third try the operator admitted that no ambulance was sent as they had to data entry a form so that she could decide which of the three types of emergency vehicles she should dispatch. The man was a stranger. I did not know his name, address, or his medical history. I am fed up with who comes up with these policies which in effect seems to give 911 operators the right to kill someone by insisting on information which I kept telling her I did not know. I have been trying to find out what happened to this gent and all I get is the round around. Try to find the non-emergency number for ambulance service. There is no non-emergency number for ambulance. The closest thing is its administration number who just directs you to its website. Well I didn't have access to a computer what would I do then. The admin number said they would not tell me about anything considering I was a third party and my problem was I should have demanded this information from the ambulance attendees as they transported the gent to the unknown. I do not understand how the confidentiality of a patient in this situation would be illegal. All this stuff about confidentiality is so that we become desensitized to what is happening to others around us. Why would I ever want to help anyone in the future. Those that want confidentiality should have a sign on their foreheads saying do not save me as confidentiality is more important than humanity.

EOI for the DERAH towers re competition/members

2010-08-18T10:21:00.001-07:00

I apologize for taking so long to finish my rant on the EOI but as one ages time passes quickly.

I do not understand why the condition inserted re letter of committal that says

Records can be withheld if their disclosure would be harmful to the business interest of the provincial body or the party with which it is doing business.

is there.

Since a non-profit is not a for-profit what $harm could full disclosure disclosure. It seems to be a gag order without anyone questioning it. I remember Kim Kerr saying to me that all documents are only to be seen by him and BC Housing so he must have been told by BC Housing that that is the way it is. When I did ask BC Housing about Kim's statement, BC Housing did not answer my email.

Also there is no mention of any condition on number of members. I do not consider a society with only directors to be in the public interest. The purpose of members is to question what the directors and management are doing as well as participating. To start all directors meetings should be open to members or anyone who is interested in knowing what the society is about (to attract potential directors). In the proposed new Society Act for 2012 it is recommended that there only be one director who is also its only member and those that are lobbying for this say that is all that is necessary to protect the public interest. And who paid these lobbyists to come up with that conclusion. I suspect it is a bunch of highpaid highprofile lawyers.

Also I do not believe it is sufficient for the President alone to sign a statutory declaration re conflict of interest. Every director should sign it as well as all paid employees and volunteers as they come on stream.

Also it should be made clear to the proponents that if any breach of governance happens the Society will be fined $10,000 for the first offense and thereafter the operating agreement voided. You can't have the E/D and a select number of directors do what they want without any penalty considering the Society Act provides no easy remedy to enforce the Act.

This is all I am going to say about the EOI.

I still haven't heard whether or not Deloitte will continue with its forensic audit. It must finish otherwise "secrecy agreements" will be used to protect the guilty at the expensive of the public. The only thing I remember from taking a criminolgoy course at SFU many many years ago is that crime pays and white collar crime pays extremely well.

I am tired of hearing, forgot what happens, moveon. No we can't forget what happens. Justice has not been seen to be done re DERAH and it must be seen for the public interest.
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ERO for DERA buildings

2010-08-14T10:29:00.001-07:00

I have been spending a lot of time at the hospital but I intend to finish my rant about the EOI.

I never did get a reply from Brit or Strath communities centres as to how much federal government money they got from DERA to the kids need help now program. This money is federal, the housing money was provincial, and because the community centres are involved the child care money is municipal. All three levels of government without accountability.

I will be starting a new project: change the RTA (Residential Tenancy Act)so renters can have pets. See: http://araizapets.blogspot.com

EOI

2010-08-11T04:11:00.000-07:00

I still have more comments on the EOI but I haven't been feeling well, mostly exhausted, and the last thing I want to do right now is a post. It can waituntil Wednes Thursday.

Last weekend a project has been started to amend the RTA so renters can have domestic pets. If anyone has comments let me know: audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca

Araiza

2010-08-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

Test to see if post goes through

EOI for the DERAH towers re Resolutions

2010-08-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

One thing I do not understand and that is the need for Resolutions for the EOIs. BC Housng wants Resolutions signed by the President. Does that mean the President signs a REsolutions without the majority approval of all the directors. This isn't what happened when DERAH decided to cave to the demands of BC Housing for the good of the residents of the DERAH buildings and signed a secret agreement terminating DERAH's interest in the buildings as there was no Resolution of the directors giving any power to the President of DERAHS to do this and not all the directors knew or even signed anything except for the President. I was in the court all that day and I was a legal director of DERAH and I did not know of the terms of the secret agreement and other directors were not there. Even if I wasn't a director nothing should be secret when the money comes from the public purse. A President's only power is to vote in case of a tie with the directors. She doesn't have any power to sign a resolution unless all the directors are aware of it. The President can't just chose a few directors in favour of a motion. I still maintain that the secret agreement signed by Sister Elizabeth Kellihier, who was the President at the court on May 18, 2010, was illegal. How BC Housing has been able to get away with it is beyond me. For expediency Broughton and Company twist/broke the law and the judge who was not interested in reading the mountain of pleadings as he instructed the parties to go out in the hall and settle the matter as this litigation is not in the public interest. I beg to differ, this litigation is in the best interest of the public. $billions are spent on social housing and yet the process is flawed.

Speaking of public interest: two weeks ago for a period of three days the elevators in the Tellier Tower were closed do lack of repairs. One of the argument by BC Housng was that the antiquated elevators had to be replaced as soon as possible
and short leave i.e. get the order of the receiver manager signed as soon as possible because it was necessary to replace the elevators with new ones. This is not true. BC Housing knew for years that the elevators had to be replaced and yet did nothing except to say that DERAH had to pay for them when in fact BC Housing knew that the reserve monies were not there. BC Housing has a lot of money for safety. This year BC Housing had a budget of $100 billion so BC Housing could have replaced the elevators and worried about what happened to the reserves later. Only one elevator is in working condition. BC Housing has put all the tenants of the ten story Tellier at risk (most are elderly and disabled) for years and still the elevators have not been replaced. BC Housing used the courts to press for the receiver-manager Order by a court short leave so that the elevators could be installed and yet the elevators have not been replaced and the tenants have not been advised if and when BC Housing will ever replace them.

I am very disappointed with the media as none of them have shown any interest in what happened to DERAH. This story isn't about DERAH alone, it is also about BC Housing and its tactics, and the failure of the Society Act.

And of course there is CUPE and it knew about the elevators being defective and it did nothing except tell their members not to walk up the ten flight of stairs to assist the elderly. Something in their Union contract not to walk up more than two stories without an elevator...and not being allowed to physically assist tenants but union members can verbally assault and threaten tenants, directors and specific employees. The entertainment one gets from reading a collective union agreement.
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EOI for the DERAH towers re CUPE

2010-08-03T05:22:00.000-07:00

One of the things I do not understand and that is the constant reference to survivorship of CUPE's contract with DERA and DERAH. I attended each time the application to add CUPE as an intervenor to the BC Housing's application to appoint an receiver manager and at no time in the applications was it mentioned that CUPE had survivor status.

I was also told by CUPE that the contract was made with the Board and CUPE. It was not made with the Board, BC Housing and CUPE. So why the instruction that the collective agreement is to continue.

As far as I am concerned CUPE is the majority reason why DERAH was foreclosed upon. From the very beginning of Kim Kerr's ascention to the position of Executor Director, from the very first day in 2004, he fired or constructively dismissed all the original employees of DERA and DERAH. And what does CUPE do. Relativelt nothing as it is bound by unwritten protocol. It should have advised the directors of what was happening years ago when CUPE realized that its members were being fired for just cause and no reason given. CUPE's reasoning that it only deals with the executive director only goes to show CUPE's ignorance of the law and its failure to look after its members. There is nothing in the law that says they cannot communicate with the directors. How are the directors to learn what is happening with employees if the Union only dealt with Kim Kerr and Kim Kerr made the decision that all staffing is private and confidential and this decree extended to all the directors as well. Through the years all CUPE had to do was send a copy of any dispute to all the directors: it is very simple -- use email. CUPE should have taken it upon itself to educate the directors. I assure you from talking to past board members there would have been directors who would have taken action before Kim had them constructively impeached. One employee as dismissed in November 2009 and it took CUPE to finally get her rehired through the receiver manager eight months later. Most employees that were constructively dismissed by Kim Kerr did not want a prolonged fight with the Union and took a small $severance conditional on a confidentiality agreement. None of the employees are very happy with the Union.

One of the issues I raised besides the Kim's prevailing "you are fired with just cause and he would refuse to give the just cause" while I attended the board meetings was that I wanted all employees including the Executive to submit to random drug testing. The Union was 110% opposed to this. Of course it would be as most of its members were doing weed or other substances. I also wanted all the directors, the accountant, and Kim Kerr to submit to random drug test including Sister Elizabeth Kellihier, the President. Now I would expand that to testing the auditor as well.

I learned only on Saturday that there is a resident movement in the DERAH towers to not want CUPE to be part of the new operating agreements. The residents are not happy with the attitude of the CUPE employees nor the quality of their work. They asked CUPE and BC Housing for a copy of its contract with DERA/DERAH to determine if there is survivorship and CUPE and the Receiver-Manager has refused to give it to them. The tenants group has asked Union and BC Housing for a copy of the collective agreement. No agreement was given to them.

I also asked for it via a court application this spring and CUPE hired a prestigious law firm to represent them and not give it to me. I can't remember exactly but this prestigious law firm threatened me for interference with the employees. I am a director and I can't talk to an employee. So who do the employees work for: the union or the non-profit. The way CUPE acts is that any work done in the buildings is contracting out the work to CUPE and if anyone talks to one of its members the person faces legal threats. I find this absolutely distaseful.

The order for the receiver-manager contains the following clause respecting CUPE:

23. A THIS COURT ORDERS that the Receiver is authorized to deal with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (the "Union") on labour relations matters of the Defendant Society as follows: this Order, including but not limited to paragraphs 6, 7 and 12, shall not infringe on the Union's Collective Agreement and/or statutory rights and remedies, nor shall the Order abrogate the jurisdiction of the Labour Relations Board.

From this wording my understanding and what was said in the court is that the receiver manager deals with CUPE only during the term of the Order of Mr. Justice Sigurdson granted on May 18th, 2010. It does not extend beyond that time period.

I suggest to any of the proponents for the DERA towers to get a copy of the CUPE Operating Agreement as well as the history of disputes with DERAH and try its best to get rid of CUPE. Do your due diligence. Do not trust BC Housing as I doubt that it has ever read the Operating Agreement. There must be two operating agreements: one for DERA and one for DERAH or maybe the collective agreement was only for DERA and there never was one for DERAH. If the operating agreement includes both of them then most probably the operating agreement will be invalid as each are legally separate entities. The employees of the towers do not need the union to protect their rights. We are only talking about three or four employees per building and the Board should be dealing directly with all employee disputes. CUPE has been only a hinderance to the best interests of the public i.e. you the taxpayers in your support of the social housing in the DERAH towers. Unions are a huge expense and not necessary for small organizations.

The Operating Agreements for the three towers do not mention CUPE so I question BC Housings instruction to assume the Union. The Operating Agreements were never amended.

more to come ....

... if my understanding of what I believe is incorrect (see above), please let me know.
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EOI to turn the DERAH buildings into supportive housing

2010-07-31T09:33:00.001-07:00

Hopefully I can get my act together this weekend to critique further the EOI. It is absolutely necessary that the residents of the DTES know how the process works and voice their concerns. The residents of the DTES must have a say in what happens to the buildings. We want to know about condo development but neglect to stop the neighbourhood from getting more supportive housing. We need a variety of housing to normalize the area. Anything in the EOI which is suspect has to be looked at before a new operator is appointed.

Is the DTES becoming an insane asylum?

2010-07-28T10:04:00.000-07:00

Cameron Gray, manager of housing for the City recently made a statement that with the number of supportive housing in the DTES that the City is making the DTES into an insane asylum.

The three buildings that DERA operated is in the process of getting new operators and from this instruction it says that BC Housing wants the buildings to convert from affordable housing to supportive housing.

In the BC Housing web page. The very first paragraph of the EOI states that ... these calls are intended for non-profit societies and/or private operators interested in partnering with BC Housing to provide housing with support services.

We do not need the 300 units of Solheim, Pendera and Tellier be made into more supportive housing. I attempted to go to the 1:30 site meeting on Tuesday at Tellier for those interested in seeing the properties to clarify this. When I arrived there no one knew of any meeting and the Tellier community room was empty.

I then went to DERAdvocay, next door, and was told that the meeting happened at 10:00a.m. that morning. Earlier I phoned Pat McSherry, a director and secretary of DERA, and told her that someone from DERA should attend this meeting and make sure that supportive housing does not happen to the former DERA buildings.

Pat McSherry told me at 1:45 p.m. that the meeting was held at 10:00 a.m. that morning. So has BC Housing already decided who the new operators will be.

Where are the housing advocates whose actions focus on wanting a National Housing Policy rather then devoting some of their resources to making sure the DTES has normalized housing.

Years ago the federal government downloaded social housing to the province (BC Housing's budget is $1billion yearly for 100,000 units) so why aren't the advocates and the NDP advocating for a provincial housing policy but then I am sure that none of them are aware of the $budget of BC Housing. They should be putting all their resources into making sure that the DTES has a diversity of housing in the DTES and not a predominance of supportive housing which housing is nothing more than a jail cell (complete with bars, locked doors, hired security, and expensive state-of-the- art securiy cameras see the LUX supportive housing run by Rain City (reception area)) for the mentally and drug addicted population of the City.

Also I am fed up with Sabrina, the E/D of DERA, saying that I was voted off the Board of Directors of DERA. DERA attempted to do so on February 12 2010 but the process was flawed (illegal). And until I get a letter from DERA's lawyer stating that the process was legal, I am still a director of DERA.
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the new Oppenheimer Park

2010-07-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

I went to the opening of the "new" Openheimer Park at 11:00 am today. I am not happy with the new design. It looks like it was designed deliberately to erase 1/3 of the green space. It took 120 years to create a heritage park and only $2.5 million and two years construction to destroy it. More on this later ...

blogettes

2010-07-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Each day I have at least one-half dozen blogettes in my mind but I do not have the time to write about each one. There are other things in life like going to the food banks, attending VGH daily for six hours, taking my lovely devil doggies out for their peepees and poopoos, doing five weeks of laundry, looking for a new place to live, talking to my intelligent fuckup friends who agree they are fuckups but they are honest about it not like the fuckups being the directors of DERA who are so fucked up they do no know they are fucked up, and gathering beverage containers for their refund value.

Right now I am awaiting a reply from an email to DERA hopefully to clarify items from the financial statements which should have been delivered to the members within three months of the end of the fiscal period being September 30 2009 not in mid July 2010. I have another clarification I need which is from whom did the donations come from which were mentioned in the F/S for 2008 and 2009. Kim Kerr told me and told the court that he had taken the profits of his company that did work for DERA/DERAH and donated them to DERA/DERAH but I have seen no proof of it. Very legal of him. The law says if Kim returns any profit he made from his company, then there is no conflict, so he did not do anything fraudulent in that area providing that he actually did donate the profit back to DERA/DERAH. I will be sending an email to the new Executive Director Sabrina and the accountant, Ruth Hoffman, CGA, asking for this information.

Since I am a member of DERA and also a director of DERA when this information was said to have been relevant I am entitled to this information. But then maybe not as I am was told by the Treasurer, his name escapes me, that he can't give me any information because he is under a gag order from BC Housing. I didn't even ask him for any information but he announced itto me on the street. He also told me to google his name as he owns newspapers and radio stations and he could destroy me with words. What BC Housing has to do with DERA is beyond me. DERAdvocacy and DERAHousing are suppose to be separate legal entities so I was told by the lawyers for BC Housing during the court hearing to foreclosure upon DERAH. The point is DERA survives on grants and donations which are tax deductible so each of us are intimately involved with DERA through our pocketbooks. To operate DERA the funds come from you and me. Apply whatever I am saying to other non profits and societies generally. There are big problems outthere and DERA is but a bit player and their behavior is typical.

The new DERA (ADDED TO July 18/19 2010)

2010-07-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

I attended the DERA AGM yesterday. Not much happened except the Board has been overtaken by the Christians: the Christian group on Jackson Street across from Oppenhemier Park: the co-op of old houses. Just what the DTES needs another secretive religious cult. And more bizarre every single dysfunction director was reelected.

More about the meeting when I have time... I still can't believe in the middle of this controversy the federal government gave DERA $215,000 per year (until 2012) to administer a childcare program. DERA has broken every single rule of governance and the federal government and the community thinks that it is okay. What I mean by community is Brit Community Centre and the Strathcona Community Centre.

I briefly read the financial statements that were presented to the AGM last Thursday this morning being July 19th 2010. The financial statements were up to September 30 2009. The two DERA creative bookkeepers are now in big trouble; hopefully, the two of them will be thrown out of the certified general accountants association. It states on page 11 that the Board of Directors agreed to have the Society pay $6,000 in legal fees incurred by the Executive Director for a lawsuit with a former city councillor, Peter Ladner. This law suit did not involve DERA; only its executive-director, Kim Kerr. I was at the December 2009 meeting when this "account" was discussed. No invoice was produced; no one knew what the fees were for (Sister Elizabeth said they were court costs: that is different than legal fees)and the final decision was not to have been made until the invoice was produced. It was never produced. Peter Ladner told me that Kim had paid $5,000 for costs to the City prior to September 30 2009, so what was this $6,000 for? This discussion was December 2009 at a DERA board meeting. Not prior to September 30 2009 therefore the financial statements are trash (fraudulent). Those responsible for the financial statements are Linda Segneuret, CGA, DERA's auditor, and Ruth Hoffman, CGA, DERA's accountant. And the new proposed Society Act 2012 wants us to trust professionals more. Forget it. Blind trust of professionals begets legal corruption.

Why

2010-07-10T18:42:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, July 15, 2010
DERA Annual general Meeting

The DTES Residents Assocations is having its Annual general Meeting July 15, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. St. James Church, Parish Hall, 230 Gore Avenue (one block north of Hastings Street in the same block as the United Church on Hastings). It is an illegal meeting as it is nine months late and it wasn't advertised according to the bylaws but then why should DERA follow any rules. For any of you who do attend make sure you get a copy of the financial statements which were due last fall also demand a financial statement as of the end of June 2010. Besides Kim being involved with two private companies which profit was alledgedly used to support DERAdvocacy ask for proof of invoices. Anyone can type in a $160,000 expediture. Also you can ask the directors what happened to the monies that BC Housing paid to DERA for leasing payment and taxes. Where did this $400,000 go. Also what about the $1.2 million in reserves -- the money that was suppose to be used to keep the buildings upgraded like with new appliances and washing washings and washing windows. This did not happen. The $1.2 million was there in 2004 but no more. I was told by Kim and it was confirmed by BC Housing by its neglect by not answering my emails that no one is allowed to have access to the financial statements because they are only for the eyes of Kim Kerr and BC Housing which is a lie. As for the current directors none of them should show their faces to the community and each of them should be evicted from the social housing they received by virtue of them being a director. I wish I could pay $300 a month rent for a $1,000 market rate apartment and still have $700 a month for disposal income. All the directors failed to do what they were elected to do. The poor stealing from the poor is nauseating to say the least. I have come to the conclusion that democracy does not work in the DTES. The marginalized should have a constitution that can't be changed on a whim. A consititution of marginalized rights. Sister Elizabeth will say at the AGM that DERA is for advocacy not Housing. Do not let her get away with it. DERAdvoacy and DERAHousing has been one of the same for the last twenty years and now conveniently it is not part of DERA. If you look at the Writ to foreclosure on the three rental buildings it also includes DERAdvoacy so therefore they are one of the same. And then there is a secret agreement signed by Kim Kerr, DERAdvocacy and DERAHousing saying that no one is going to be criminally charges for whatever these idiots did. The saga of DERA will not end soon. Get involved and don't let it.

Under DERAdvocacy the Federal government hasn't cut its funding for its daycare project which I do not understand why it even has it as because in the constitution of DERAdvoacy it is not authorized to do babysitting. There is $200,000 funding so where is this money going to. DERAdvocacy should be sending this money back to the federal government as they should not have got it in the first place. If the consensus will be to keep this money then every invoice should be viewed by anyone who wants to see them. Financial statements are useless without the paperwork. Auditors cannot be trusted. The auditor told BC Housing that although she knew $400,000 came to DERAH she did not know where it went. Neither did Kim or Sister Elizabeth know where the money disappeared to. So what is the point of an auditor. And she has been arround forever. Auditors only look at non-profits that are funded by the government as cash cows. There is nothing confidential in financial statements and all accounts should be provided to anyone who wants to see them.

Who can go to these meeting according to the Constitutions anyone in the DTES who is resident here from Clarke to Broadway to Granville to the waterfront. There is nothing in the bylaws that says a resident has to be a registered member. Like one of the five origiinal founders of DERA told me the other day; it is not the DERA Members Association it is the DERA Residents Association. I would like to see someone make a motion that says to belong to DERAdvocacy those that have lived in the DTES are still members of DERA. Good people move away from the DTES and then their expertise is lost. No matter what Kim and everyone has told me that anyone can attend AGMs.

I won't be going to the meeting unless I have a bodyguard. The purpose of the bodyguard is to keep me controlled from me verablly going on and on. So if anyone wants to volunteer to assist me please do.

And above all if the acting executive director SABRINA is not available to return an email or talk to a resident of the DTES then a motion has to be made to fire her. We do not need a secret organization where those that need help can't get information.
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Posted by Audrey Jane Laferriere at 10:06 AM

I read the Request for Expressions of Interest found on the BC Housing website. I could not believe it. Did not BC Housing learn anything from DERAHousing. It sets no boundaries on how to prevent white collar crime by a non-profit housing society or how to safeguard vulnerable tenants from capricious behavior of their overlords. Whoever is in charge should be looking for a new job. More about this document later.

I apologize to you all for not keeping up on my blog. The issues out there are overwhelming. Sine June 7th 2010 I have been involved with a medical situation in which I have had to devote my limited energies to.

Kim Kerr was right -- added to on 02 July 2010

2010-06-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

I cannot dismiss Kim's claim that BC Housing did not give him enough money to manage the buildings (see Statement of Defence). Lily also said that every accountant Kim hired also came to the conclusion that BC Housing did not give him enough money. Only Kim and BC Housing were privy to the financial statements. What right did Kim have to withhold this information from the directors of DERAH and the DTES community. The community could have save DERAH if it knew the truth.
In 2007 - monthly
Income from rentals $100,000
Income from BC Housing (subsidies) $100,000
Total income $200,000
Mortgage payments $110,000
Wages $45,000
Insurance $10,000
Utilities $14,000
only four items total $174,000
So what is left to pay everything else $ 26,000 that is less than $100 per unit
Non-profits should not be using the accrual method of accounting. It should be cash-in cash-out. The old fashion way. Simple.

the Portland Hotel Society

2010-06-29T10:01:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a general consensus out there that the PHS Society (the Portland Hotel Society) is 100 times worse than DERA ever was. I checked this morning and found out that at least seven employees earn over $100,000 a year with benefits and yet the PHS has no money to WASH windows for its properties. For years I have seen the dirty windows (an insult to architect Arthur Erickson) and just assumed the Portland didn't have the money to clean. I would like to know who these employees are that make $100,000 a year as I would like to ask each of them to donate monies to get the windows washed. I personally feel that no one employed by a charitable society should earn more than 3X the minimum wage. This should also extend to public servants. If all these social and public employees worked for minimum wage capped at 3X I assure you that the minumum wage would be more than $8.00 an hour.

Law Foundation Cuts Funding

2010-06-24T12:12:00.003-07:00

It was announced yesterday that the Law Foundation has cuts its funding to DERAdvocacy.

In the National Post on Monday it said that criminal charges could be laid against those that did wrong at DERAHousing. This is not what I heard at the court application hearing on May 18th 2010 when Sabrina asked the Court if the signed confidentiality agreement meant that no one would be prosecuted. The lawyer for BC Housing confirmed that if the terms of the confidential agreement were met no one would be prosecuted. I suspect Rich Coleman didn't get it right when he spoke to Brian Hutcheson, the reporter.

In an interview with the National Post, provincial housing minister Rich Coleman said a criminal investigation of DERA on matters "such as fraud" could be forthcoming. "We're not precluded from taking [further action]," said the minister.
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2010-06-24T12:12:00.001-07:00

PIVOT and Carnegie Governing Boards

2010-06-20T09:55:00.001-07:00

Ancillary to what is happening at DERA, two events should be noted. Although I was very vocal in the community about DERA and its non-compliance to the rule of law since the summer of 2009, Julie Rogers was re-elected to the Board of Directors of the PIVOT Legal Society. The only qualification that Julie had for the PIVOT Board of Directors was her directorship with DERA. And then if that was not bad enough, Pat McSherry was elected recenty to the Board of Directors of the Carnegie Centre. Pat McSherry is a director of DERA and her contribution to any discussion at any board meeting was "wait until a problem happens." The function of a Board is to make sure that problems do not happen. Not only was Pat a director she was also the Secretary. Because of her laziness she allowed a hired employee to look after her legislated duties (see Society Act). Pat was elected a few weeks ago to the Carnegie Board so everyone knew in the DTES that she was a party to the destruction of DERAH and still she was elected. Both Julie and Pat as well as every director of DERA/DERAH should be barred from ever being a member of any Board. Both should be held $accountable for what they did and in this case did not do. This just shows what type of Boards the decision makers and funders listen to. If there was even a whisper that a Board was or had members that were dysfunctional, funders should run. But then funders are just employees so why should they care.
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