A Caring Friend

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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A Caring Friend

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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A Caring Friend

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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Etc.

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

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

It is Too Late for Kathleen

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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Another Case of Stupidity by B.C. Health Authority

... 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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Randy Greets the Sun

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

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

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

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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