Cam 'n Eggs: Guest blogger - healthcare aide Cheri Zische

CHERI ZISCHE

 I am a healthcare worker whose company was granted a contract recently by Alberta Health Services.  But we were taken out of the area where I have worked in for six years.  I have worked in a facility for three years.  Now we are being moved out and another agency has been brought in.  The senior citizens I have taken care of will now new caregivers.  Not just one. All of us are being taken out.

Senior citizens  have not had a say, and their objections are falling on deaf ears.  This move is devastating to all involved. No one ever asked these folks if they wanted to give up the caregivers who have been such a large part of their lives.

Cutting our hours, or rather cutting the time we are allowed to spend with each individual, is going to spell disaster.  Yes we give meds, do personal care of all kinds, and these tasks may not require a lot of time.  But what about listening to them? As healthcare aids we give  them a voice when they think no one cares, and take  the time to really hear what they fear.  

Shame on this government for making me feel that what I do is only based dollars and cents.  And shame on this government for making Alberta senior citizens — the most special of people in our society — feel that they are not worth the dollars and cents to continue providing the care they deserve.

WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT HOME CARE 

Turn Up Your CHED

When I was a teenager in the early 1970’s I loved listening to the radio more than watching television. I found my imagination could go to places I didn’t even know existed. Living in Edmonton, the AM giant was 630 CHED and I listened to it whenever I could. Heck, I even snuck my transistor radio under my pillow and listened to it when my parents thought I was fast asleep.

The announcers brought everything to life: Wes Montgomery, Al Anderson, Don Kay, Bob McCord, Bruce Bowie, Len Truenesen, Chuck Chandler, Billy Williams, Keith James and so many more. It is still a great thrill today have them as good, personal friends. Take current CHED morning man Bruce Bowie — who is like a brother to me.  We met in 1976 and our friendship keeps growing. Then, there was Eddie Keen, the former Edmonton Journal reporter who wrote editorials for CHED. I started listening to Eddie when I was 13 and he inspired me to be a newspaper reporter.

This Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m at Northlands CHED is broadcasting like they did in the 1970’s when many people in Edmonton listened. They’re calling it Retro Days and we might hear such things as …

“Right now in downtown Edmonton it’s (temperature) C. H. E. Degrees.”

“(Name) is the 630 CHED Good Guy/Gal of the day.”

•Solid Golden Weekends

•The Golden Wheel

• CHED sunspots

• the Great Bicycle picnics.

Please send your favorite CHED memory from the 1970’s here.


To jod your memory here is a great retro page put together by Keith James

The question needs to be asked: Who is getting a big pay day because of home care changes?

In all the stories I have read, watched and listened to about Alberta’s home care cuts, I have yet to hear a question silently echoing in the back of my mind. And with health minister Fred Horne announcing Tuesday that he isn’t going to reverse Alberta Health Services’ decision to change home care providers for senior citizens in Alberta, I think the time has come to ask it: who is going to make a buck over these decisions? Who is it? And why are Albertans who are senior citizens and who have physical disabilities going through hell so someone’s bank account is padded?

AHS announced in June the number of home care providers will be reduced from 72 to 13. Large corporations such as Rivera and We Care — just to name a few — were awarded contracts when many local, including non-profits, we told “thanks, but no thanks.” I have cerebral palsy and use home care. I am part of a self-directed program and we were told in February of changes. We were also told we had to submit a proposal for funding, despite successfully running the program since 1997. And here’s the kicker: we were warned if we went to the media or contacted MLA’s our proposal could very well be disqualified. In the end, we didn’t get our funding but shared our story. Just over two weeks later AHS reversed their decision on our program and two others in Edmonton. 

I can’t help but thinking this was in the works for month. Deals were made. Contracts were signed. It would be very interesting to know who made these deals and what connection they had with the successful bidders over so many long standing providers. We may never know. But by the Gods of War: the question needs to be asked.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE



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Home care for Alberta seniors MUST be reversed

Alberta Health Services a provincial health minister Fred Horne really should be ashamed of themselves. Horne spoke to the media Tuesday and said he has no plans of reversing  changes to home care for senior citizens. Horne says he’s facing a time-crunch. Well, Mr. Horne: make more time. Because what you are doing to the very cornerstone of this province is most disrespectful.

Home care touches me personally. I have cerebral palsy and rely on home care so I can be a member of society. When AHS announced in June they were making sweeping changes — including eliminating the self-directed program I use — we bluntly told them “no.” We started a campaign on social media and mainstream media … and we won. Three self-directed contracts were reversed. If AHS and the government did it for us, why can’t they afford the same logical way of thinking for senior citizens? What kind of an example is this for our young people in regards to respecting seniors?

Sadly, I think, this comes down to disrespect from the government. The very fact senior citizens were not consulted about changes to their care doesn’t show much respect. Seniors in Alberta needing home care are being steamrolled. What a disgraceful way to treat Alberta pioneers. They deserve to be honored for all the work they have done by getting the proper care in their golden years. That’s a way to honor them. And Mr. Horne and AHS need to re-think this. Because this is wrong.

Please email me your comments by CLICKING HERE.  We need to circle the wagons again — and make absolutely certain senior citizens in Albertans are respected the way they should.

Where has respecting our elders gone?

I ask you bear with me this morning. Because I try to make Cam ‘n Eggs upbeat, positive and motivational to get your day headed on a good start. Today, however, I cannot. Because I have concerns and several questions of how something so violent and so brazen could happen to a senior citizen in Edmonton — someone who could have been a teacher, a school bus driver, an engineer or who could have been countless other things, and someone who help build this city, this province and this happen.

How? How could an 86-year-old man was working his back yard, police believe, and was robbed and beaten? How could something happen in the bright daylight of 11 a.m. Tuesday? Clearly, there are no clear answers — and perhaps the mystery of such an attack ignites even more questions.

It is indeed interesting sociological study if we consider the world’s population is getting bigger and bigger, and rather than working with one another to help out, often, the exact opposite happens. More to the point, though, we have to ask ourselves where mutual respect has gone? Specifically, in past generations  “respecting your elders” was as common as liking something on Facebook, but now that respect for our seniors — and, in fact, each other — is clearly lacking. Perhaps we can challenge ourselves to be better. Maybe, just maybe, we can start the day off with such a thought.

(CLICK HERE FOR THE EDMONTON JOURNAL NEWS STORY)

                             TEXT TAIT HERE

A fitting tribute to a man of wonderful song

I PUT MY head outside the door of St. Joseph’s Basilica Monday just after 3 p.m after attending the funeral for Paul Lorieau. It was raining hard, and then there was a tremendous roar of thunder from the heavens, giving us a good sign: Paul had just cleared his throat before starting to sing one of his favorite songs for a performance in heaven. 

Paul was perhaps best known for singing the national anthems at Edmonton Oiler games, and it was evident Monday: several people in the jammed-packed church had Oiler jerseys. I could see how Paul touched so many lives: hockey fans, politicians such as former speaker of the Alberta legislature Ken Kowalski who said he always looked forward to Paul singing O’Canada when the house was sitting, and members of the media who always got a hearty hello from Paul in the press box.

He left us far too young at 71 when cancer took him. But the stories shared at his funeral echoed the wonderful, caring man he was who, until two weeks before his death, delivered food to Hope Mission. He was also a very committed family man. And, of course, there was music — beautiful music — from his family members in the choir and the spine-tingling piano playing from Henri Lorieau. In the end, we sang O’Canada at the end of the service without instruments, a most fitting tribute. You taught us well, my friend; you taught us well. 

CONTACT CAM HERE

Monday Motivators: Craig Styles and Andy Wigston

Sometime Sunday afternoon — perhaps around 4 p.m. — summer officially began for Craig Styles and Andy Wigston. That’s when the ice is finally cleaned at the West Edmonton Mall Ice Palace, the dressing rooms doors are closed for the last time, goodbye handshakes and hugs are exchanged, and — with one last look to make sure everything is just right — Styles and Wigston left the mall. And then their summer vacation begins. It has happened every Sunday in July for the two men since 1989. If Styles and Wigston have their way the tradition will carry on for many years to come.

Craig Styles in the middle with the red shirt

Styles is tournament chair of the Brick Invitational Super Novice Hockey Tournament. Wigston is the tournament’s director. Both employees of The Brick — Wigston is retired and Styles is vice-president of real estate — and were part of the planning process 24 years ago when Brick founder Bill Comrie wanted to start a tournament for nine and 10-year-olds. Styles and Wigston answered the bell. They have managed to produce, year after year, one of the best tournaments in North America. This year they had 14 teams playing with the Toronto Bulldogs winning Sunday’s final 3-1 over the B.C. Junior Canucks.

Andy Wigston

The tournament has seen many players go on to the National Hockey League, semi-pro and university and college hockey. Styles and Wigston are hoping many of the tournament’s alumni return next year for the 25^th anniversary tournament. Styles said last week plans are in the works now for the 2014 edition. But I hope Styles and Wigston really don’t start thinking about that until, maybe, next Monday. Because after 18-hour days, countless games, attending to thousands of details, they certainly deserve a break. Well done, gentlemen.

Eskimos big gamble: game against Hamilton Tiger-Cats has many story lines

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If Edmonton Eskimo head coach Kavis Reed likes pressure, he probably can’t wait for today’s game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Because all eyes will be on Reed — and the entire Eskimo organization. He has always been a gentleman to me over the years and he is a gem of a human being. I want to see him succeed. And so, apparently, do the Eskimos.

...Kavis Reed

Reed, in the final year of a three-year deal, was given an extension to his contract Saturday and the timing seems a bit odd. The Eskimos opened the season with a 39-18 loss against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and they did not look good: not only did they lack offence, they seemed disorganized, and took several selfish penalties. Perhaps the most noticeable was when the Eskimos lined up the wrong way. Coaching? You decide.

Reed is an intense coach and wears his heart on his sleeve. He also loves a challenge, and maybe that’s the card Esks’ GM Ed Hervey is playing with the contract extension. You might not expect such a carrot would dangle after last

...Ed Hervey

week’s performance. Then again professional sports teams do whatever they have to to win. We’ll find out later today if the latest Eskimo gamble will pay off. It’s a huge wager placed: this could make or break the Edmonton Eskimos, both on and off the field.

Paul Lorieau: a man of kindness and unforgettable class

Reporters are lucky people. Because we get to see the real, human side of people: up close and personal. While thousands see and hear someone from afar or on television, we get to have interactions with stars. In some cases, we even get to have dinner with them. And those are the thoughts I am having now when I think of the passing of Paul Lorieau.

Mr. Lorieau will be known best for his thundering renditions of O’Canada at Edmonton Oiler games. He always had time to say hello — whether it be on the way to sing on centre ice or on his way out of the building. When I was writing a column for the sports department of the Edmonton Journal in 2006, I saw what class Mr. Lorieau had. I wrote my column during the Stanley Cup playoffs from the media dining room at Rexall Place and tried to file it at the end of the first period.

Mr. Lorieau came up for dinner after he sang O Canada. When I was finished writing I often asked if I could join him for a cup of coffee and piece of pie as he was finishing dinner. I have cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair so when I approached his table I was sitting down. Mr. Lorieau always stood up to greet me and gave me a firm but warm handshake. We would talk about many things, especially family, before leaving the dining room for second period action.

A true gentleman with endless class is how I will always remember Paul Lorieau. My job as a reporter afforded me to see that. As a person I was so lucky to have shared time with him.