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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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Whatever It Takes
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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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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Monday, November 21, 2011
Friday 18 November 2011
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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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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Thursday, November 17, 2011
November 17 2011 Thursday
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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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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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
November 16 2011
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.
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
Tuesday November 15 2011
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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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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