The workshop at the 70 Mile Community Hall on Sept. 24 was a great success, according to local area seniors advocate Sally Watson.
She noted more than 15 residents from 70 Mile House and South Green Lake attended the workshop on Advance Care Planning (ACP). The need for an ACP program has been on the radar of senior advocate groups for years.
Watson said health care for seniors is misused if our seniors can't speak for themselves. As they move into their senior years, she noted “seniors want to be comfortable, and they want to have a say about how they are going to die.”
Watson suggested it will be a burden for the eldest children to look after their parents during their last years.
As the writer of this column, I have experienced both the joy and sorrow of having my grandmother come to live at our home.
My grandmother came for a stay with us when she had trouble walking up and down the outside stairs of her home. After a serious fall, my parents started moving grandmother's clothes, important pieces of furniture, nick-knacks, her piano and her china cabinet to our house.
These items made gramma feel more like she was at home. It wasn't long before gramma's spirits picked up and her health was getting better, and she wanted to go back home.
We packed up all of her things and moved gramma back to her home. Unfortunately, she had another fall and was hospitalized for quite a while.
Then gramma was moved into a group home, got dementia and became ill and passed away. It was devastating for our family, and it could have been prevented.
This is why we have to educate ourselves, our siblings and children, so we are prepared for the passing of a loved one and ourselves. Fortunately, there is help to guide us through the passing of a family member.
We can Google the Advance Care Planning website which is full of great information on what all family members can do to make a loved one's journey to the end of life as comfortable as possible, and determine how they want to die.
If we have a general practitioner, Watson suggested we can start talking to them about the final journey. They should be able to provide good information, she added.
Ask them how you can get pre-written documents that you can talk about the end of life and what they like to happen before and after their loved one's life ends.
It will be worth the effort.
Open Fire Prohibition Lifted
Open fire prohibitions have been lifted in Cariboo Fire Centre (CFC). This means campfires are now permitted throughout the CFC.
Google Cariboo Fire Centre to learn what the different open fire categories are, and what you have to do before starting an open fire.
Caution is the key! Always practice safe, responsible open fire use.
70 Mile Entertainment
Eddy's Bar and Grill has Jam Night every Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to either join the music. Just bring an instrument, or come and listen.
There is a pool tournament every Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Every other Thursday is trivia night at 5:30 p.m. Groups of six people per team. The next one is on Oct. 24.
Live music on Oct. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m.
