Guest speaker and Lloydminster Mayor, Gerald Aalbers, added his support for healthcare at the AGM of the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society at the Legacy Centre on Monday as the group’s president, Graham Brown, right, looks on. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
It’s the same old same old for upcoming priorities of the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society.
The seniors’ advocacy group wrapped up its 10th annual general meeting at the Legacy Centre on Monday with the outstanding issue of long-term care spaces on the agenda.
“Job-one is long-term spaces. We need a big increase in long-term spaces,” said Seniors Care Society president Graham Brown.
“We’re short 60 spaces right now. We’re short 150 spaces over the next 10 years, so we’ve got to get moving on that.”
The Seniors Care Society is hoping the Saskatchewan government eventually replaces the 52-bed Jubilee Home with a new facility and 100 spaces to create a net increase of about 50 spaces.
Brown is more optimistic both provinces will soon enact regulations to make personal health care information of Lloydminster residents accessible to bi-provincial health care providers.
“They promised they would have that done by this fall,” said Brown, noting the newly-elected government in Alberta could slow the process.
Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers says the city will also continue to advocate for better health care in the city from both provinces.
“One of the first calls after the new cabinet announcement on Friday was from Paul Richer (chair of the Lloydminster and District Health Advisory Council),” said Aalbers.
“He says ‘Mr. Mayor, how are we going to get to the minister’ and I said ‘I’ve already talked to the MLA’ and we’re going to work on that,” said Aalbers.
Other health issues to lobby for are the need for a community-driven plan for the Dr. Cooke Extended Care site, improved ambulance service, and a permanent MRI facility.
“With the border situation and having to work with two governments, it really takes a strong local group to keep bringing these concerns to both governments to try and find a solution,” said Brown.
Brown and Dr. Raff Sayeed took a moment at the AGM to pay tribute to long-time members Betty Christensen and Len Pryor, who were both board members when they died earlier this year.
“The contributions they made were very significant,” said Brown.
The Seniors Care Society donated $500 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada in Pryor’s name and will donate $500 in the name of Christensen to a charity yet to be determined.
Sayeed told the audience Christensen was part of a five-person team that started the advocacy group back in the 2005-era.
“Betty Christensen never missed a meeting. It was because of people like Betty that we are still here and we grew. She was passionate, she brought many issues concerning seniors to the board,” said Sayeed.
He noted because of her, they once had five MLAs and 75 people attend a meeting bringing the issues to their committee, especially the lack of long-term spaces.
“Without her support, we would not be here,” added Sayeed.
He also noted Pryor was a Free Mason who joined the core group after he talked to him about it at a Masonic meeting and readily accepted as a needed Saskatchewan member.
Sayeed said Pryor was president for many years and was known for his wisdom and common sense.
“Under his leadership, we became formalized and became a society,” said Sayeed.
He says he is sure the Seniors Care Society currently has about 200 members and made a point of saying Brown has been a strong president, too.
“I hope he continues to lead us as president for a long time,” added Sayeed.
In his summary, Brown took a moment to reflect on what Sayeed said about the history of the organization and the role of deceased members Pryor, Christensen and Bill Till, too.
“It seems like when you get with this organization, it’s until death do you part,” said Brown.
“We really are here because community people cared.”
The AGM also named Carol Martens, Sharon Pryor and Ruby Trudel as three new rotating directors.
The group will recess at the end of June and resume weekly meetings on Sept. 12.
