A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 139 No. 19 Tuesday, May 5, 1998 40 Pages 750 (GST included) Phloto Dy UHMAM PAINE That's neîghbourly Jennifer Mckean uses a Iltter stick to snare trash In 16 Mlse Creek near the Optimisi Centre whlle Laura Collier stands ready wth a garbage bag. The two were part of Saturday's cross- town dlean-up durIng Good Nelghbours Day. Clumbor talUs from Rattlssnakol A i 5-year old rock climber broke his ankie after faling 15 Woi*17g Hrder feet at Rattlesnake Point Saturday. Workng Hrder The Richmond Hill youth Iost his footing while rock climb- to atay #1 ing with a group of youths at 4 p.m. and fell to a ledge, said Det. Sgt. Jackie Gordon of Halton Regional Police. Sho said the Mlton Fire Departmont lowored a rescue basket f0 the youth and he was pulied to safety. Ho was transported to Milton District Hospital by ambulance. Long term care for seniors gets shot i*n the arm By KAREN SMITH The Champion Allendale may receive the 50 additional beds it bas been waiting for following Friday's provincial govemment announcement. Cam Jackson, minister responsible for seniors, revealed the Tories' plan to provide 650 long-terni care beds to combat a shortage in Halton. The plan is to be set in motion immediately. "It's fabulous news," said Allendale administrator Margaret Strecker. "We've just been under-bedded for so long." Ms Strecker said she's confident Allendale is now in line for 50 new beds as part of a proposai already made to the province. The plan surrounds a $5 million facelift to the former Martin House at the Ontario Street site. "I think we've got a pretty good chance," she said. Mr. Jackson first made the announce- ment before about 50 people at the Milton Seniors' Activity Centre Friday morning and then officially released the news at Oakviile-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in the afternoon. "We're going to be putting shovels in the ground this year and people into their residences next year," Mr. Jackson told the pleased Milton seniors. Oakville's hospital is expected to be one of the organizations bidding to build a new long-term case facility. A site for somne of the new beds bas been proposed next to the hospital at the former location of Oakville-Trafalgar High School. Tendering will begin immediately on the 650 new long-terni care beds, which will increase the number by 70 per cent. The plan is part of the Tories' Wednesday announcement that the provin- cial govemment will provide $1.2 billion in additional funding for Iong-term case. The province will spend an additional $43.7 million on beds in nursing homes and homes for the aged in the region over the next eight years. Over eight years, 1,579 new beds will come to Halton - an increase of 270 per cent over the current 937 beds. This exceeds the Health Services Restructuring Commission's April 27 recommendation of 1,241 new beds by 2003. Across the province, 20,000 new nursing home beds will be created. Only Toronto and Peel, which have higher popula- tions, will receive more beds than Halton. The region currently has 58.7 long-termn care beda per Margaret Strecker 1,000 people over age 75, the lowest ratio in Ontario. The provincial average is 95.5. Last month the provincial governiment announced that 1,700 temporary long-termn care beds would be openeti in hospitals across the province over the next 18 months. The interim measure means that seniors will have access to temporary long-term case beds whîle accommodations for those announced Fniday are being created, said Halton North MPP Ted Chudleigh. "The (Mike) Harris government promised to invest in long-terni case ser- vices and we have followed through on the promise," he said. "The people of our communities in Halton are big winners in this process." And regional Chair Joyce Savoline said the news is more than welcomne. "I am pleased that the province has lis- tened and bas acknowledged that Halton needs to increase its supply of beds," she said. "There are a number of initiatives already being planned in Halton, both in the public and the private sectors, which can now proceed." An announcement on funding for com- munity-based long-terni care services is expected this week. DONWINA25PT'PD LMODAYOM YMonMCTHER'S DY * 3- RM M ý" M&M W7- M MYM OM OmaL Jan lume n Im "m m Cf -g- 1