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A4 - The Canadian Champion. Tuesdav. Mav 16. 2006 OieilResidents teli panel how ~'-1to make health care better rltnn 2s" Citzeit caI formoreloca sne iait mprovecl delîvery of service to Pulc InPt log Invft. on t"i Dat Sa, .lc Plan Fra.n.woÉk DeWIM' 2 s asubgc plingd proathtshladd Wwdulu f i 'l as of "h To e vni mmmlii Iop~ qu*lify of ne ad umavioehwmy. lb. ; ic Aumw b. il 81rlloc Pla, mhilch mu hikukM àcaouny Vlaa aMW à "dua of gai, àld a C"& bh«KL C~OnS 1u Skaic Plan mu hd> giid samal si Vn Ls t. Vui m-an M aelx i. Rami the 0i9i ODaUI êo 2 Draft Sbilat.glc Plan FrurumoW&' vabl.at Tm HM Ikla Park (43 Brom St) * Tm M aAmmu 5(55U lnk*W Dr.) a*M sp" e"* (w05 SaU" MWM. Bld) 2. &d* yow conufont by Maey 18: Dmpom, Tomn HMl Vidon Pat, Town fla Ammu 55M - lo "ad~ PWm-*i ConsulbiW hic 113 C4msrSbeeg Barri. ON LAM 1H2 onus for these information sessions for rural and urban residents. r M i 11264ù* ~4Lin ftob Wornssda% Mm2 X M H* Fodff Hd 53 ftm »WM Aiku AhÉ t Pat BY41 ITS et ftn Pal -m MmN 12-74 la bobo pt.mlIo msggusmh oomrrulig oMnay. Ths pwpmof fsby- kbt ularno Tomnof U@n puaiw.me uularoy"i by ~~~~~ lieuan àumutl Due by4m l aiui. luaui akiiTom of mCn umuiySs* q 9t.tâig ian ialiulsmmdac&. bmprowmrs o--Md§ ïqbyM.iday. May2. ÂÉ Ctzsclfomoeclsei - s FuatureVS By Melanie Cummings complete by 2007. SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION Take the coolness out of the bealth system and put some warmth in it. Tbe comment made by Anne Ptolemy sums up the consensus of about three dozen people who voiced their opinions recently to a panel charged with improving the delivery of local health care. The group la formally known as the Mlasissauga Halton Local Healîh Integration Network (MHLHIN). But those who participated in the evening workshop at Country Heritage Park don't have the only say. Capturing a "statistically meaningful" com- mentary is tbe hope of tbe MHLHIN, said Scott McLeod, who's the senior director of planning, integration and com- munity engagement for the local network. Residents can also submit their opinions through an on- line survey at www.pwc.com/c/MHI-HIN-pub lic. The transition from manag- ing the province's $33 billion heslth care budget from Queen's Park to creating 14 regional overseeing agencies, such as the one designated for Mississauga and Halton, is expected t0 be In the meantime, resîdents and providers in eacb area are being asked to identify the parts of their local system that work well, those that don't and t0 pri- oritize the trouble spots. Among the Milton-specific problems residents put on the list at the forum were as follows. e More pediatricians and other medical specialists are needed for the area. - Only five per cent of the provincial heslth-care budget la spent on mental healtb issues among children. The North Halton Mental Health Clinic was cited as an excellent facility, but it only focuses on care for patients 16 and older. Concern was especially expressed about lasues of stress, substance abuse and depression among cbildren. * Due to increased obesity among children and the connec- tions poor nutrition and exer- cise play in chronic diseases such as higb blood pressure, beart disease and diabetes, par- ticipants wanted more recre- ational opportunities offered town-wide and a greater pusb on prevention programrs offered tbrough the Halton Region Healtb Department. *Equally so, seniors need more outlets for social experi- ences and physical exercise. Tbe Mississauga Geriatric Advlaory Task Force is looking at seniors as weii. -Attention also needs to be paid to obesity among those res- idents between the ages of 20 and 64 in the Mississaugall-lahon area. An esîimated 44 per cent of the 687,000 aduits in the area [ail mnto this health risk category 0 The Milton District Hospital emergency depariment la overburdened and hasn't kept up with massive growtb in the town. Also contribufing to its overextended state la its use by residents in Burlington and Mississauga who head 10 Milton hospital 10 circumvent a long wait trne in their respective hos- pital emergency departmnents. e Hospice care la essential to the aging population. - There should also be better co-ordinated communication among health-care professionals to better manage treatment and eliminate duplication of medical tests. Asthma was cited as an example of one of the most poorly-managed conditions, and considering that Mississauga/-alton has a slight- ly higher asthma rate than the provincial average, it's a vital concern. (An estimated 9.1 per cent of the age 12 and over pop- ulation in the area have asthma, compared to 8.3 per cent provin- cially) When asked to pinpoint the greatest priority for the town, participants ail agreed that a new hospital in the region is neces- sary to improve the delivery of healtb care in Milton. Mental health and pediatnic services were identified next on the list and a greater focus, through public health programs, on promoting prevention, not jusî treating illness were also listed as immediately essential. Ontario is the last province in Canada to adopt a system of regional heslth-care reform. It's a system that's currently in prac- tice in England, Australia and New Zealand. Springers Gymnnastics Club $UMMR CAMP Boys & Girls, 5-1 2yrs 8 Weekiy Sessions from Juiy 3- Aug. 21 Full Day: 9-4pm Cost: $160.00 (BeforelAfter care avalable) Boys & Girls, 3 i /2-Syrs A.M. 9-noon OR PM.: 1-4pm Cost $ 100 Weeks of Juiy 17, JuIy 24, Aug 14, Aug2 1. 18mths-3 1/2 yrs Tuesday nights starting July 4th Parent & Tot, Tumbie Bunnies Cail for detais. Gymnastics Instruction by Qualified Coaches No Experience Required LiMI1TI 'PACC - IggMt~ NOWJ Milton Sports Centre * 605 Santa Maria BIvd. - 905-878-5030 Ail programs held in our air condtlonid facllty in the Milton Sports Centre