+++  Mount Saint Mary Hospital and other long-term care facilities have been much in the news recently.  My mother resides there.  ++  Mount Saint Mary Hospital is owned and operated by the Marie Esther Society (Sisters of St. Ann) and is a  not-for-profit charitable organization with a governing Board.  The Hospital is of particular interest to Catholics, although the issue of long-term care in general is a concern to those of us who already have family members in care, or who realize that we, or someone close to us, may one day need to be a resident of such a long-term care facility.  ++  Currently two parallel campaigns are under way – the first is to protest Vancouver Island Health Authority’s (VIHA) funding cuts which affect the operational (or resident care) side of Mount St. Mary Hospital.  The second campaign, conducted by the Mount St. Mary Foundation, is to raise funds for resident activities, pastoral care, music therapy, volunteer recruitment, and staff and  volunteer education in palliative care and practical nursing.  ++  Letters and articles in the local press have focused on operational cuts proposed by VIHA.  Last summer Mount Saint Mary’s had a shortfall of $1,100,000 in  operational funding; and over the next three years the budget is to be reduced by $900,000.  Cuts to facilities which fall in line with the new model of care of 3.24 hours of care per resident are also planned at Kiwanis Pavilion and Broadmead Lodge long-term care facilities.  ++  STAFF REDUCTION  ++  Last year Mount Saint Mary Hospital was forced to let go 22 staff on the operational side, seriously impacting the quality of care as witnessed by a letter signed by seven practicing doctors at Mount Saint Mary.  Their letter decried the decreasing standard of care at the Hospital and stated that any budget cuts would be intolerable for residents.  ++  If further cuts are made, without question more staff will be cut in the future: an estimated 20 positions.  Reducing staffing levels in an already overstretched situation will cause elderly and frail residents to suffer further loss of comfort and dignity; as a result we could see an increase in illness and possibly premature death in some cases.  ++  VIHA’s response to date has been to deny that the proposed funding model will be detrimental to residents’ care, and also to deny that in a hospital which has already lost essential staff and is expecting further cuts (to comply with the model of 3.24 hours of care per resident) the safety, as well as the quality, of residents’ care will be affected.  ++  To obtain more information about the campaign protesting the cuts or to be involved in the protest contact campaign chair Jinx Barber – email: savesaintmarys@gmail.com.  ++  PETER AND PAUL  ++  I believe that ultimately the decision about operational funding levels should be guided by the citizens of British Columbia, who have expressed their wishes through numerous letters to the local media.  The recommendations of doctors and health professionals should carry more weight than ‘targeted care hours per resident numbers’ produced by VIHA.  ++  Standards in other care factilities should be raised if needed, but robbing Peter to pay Paul is not the way to go.  If revenue needs to be increased for standards to be maintained, the government needs to let the public know that.  Money certainly seems to be available for cost overruns for the Vancouver Convention Centre and other projects.  ++  The second campaign relates to the programs supported by the Mount Saint Mary Foundation, which are a vital part of residents’ spiritual and psychological well-being.  The goal of the Foundation is to have residents live every day to the fullest extent possible.  When this happens residents suffer less stress and are less vulnerable to depression.  To support the Foundation programs, the long-term goal is to raise $5,000,000 over 5 years to fund programs during that period and to create an Endowment Fund, which would be self-sustaining in the future.  ++  This campaign is being supported by the Catholic Bishop of Victoria and will be promoted in local parishes in the near future.  Already $1,000,000 has been raised in pledges and donations.  ++  More details about programs and the fundraising campaign and how to donate can be found at the Foundation website: www.msmfoundation.ca/.  Questions about the campaign can be directed to Mandy Parker, Executive Director, email address: MParker@msmfoundation.ca.  +++