Lögberg-Heimskringla - 25.06.1970, Blaðsíða 2

2
LÖGBERG HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 25. JÚNÍ 1970
Betel Home Foundafion
Selkirk, Man.,
June 9th, 1970.
ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
It is my privilege to present the following report relat-
ing to the operation of the Gimli and Selkirk Homes. The
past 12 months will be remembered as a period of progress
and development which has broadened the seope of opera-
tion in a meaningful way. Our new facilities provide hous-
ing and care of 52 additional residents as follows:
GimH Personal Care Addition
Gimli Low Rental Housing
Selkirk Personal Care Pavilion
Total
8 beds
14 persons
30 beds
52
These projects were approved at our Annual Meeting
held May 7th, 1969. This ambitious program emphasizes the
fact that no organization or institution can afford to remain
static, and ignore the challenge of the present day. As your
Administrator I congratulate the Board for their wisdom
amd courage. Betel now occupies a prominent position as
one of the leading organizations in Manitoba dedicated to
the welfare of our aging population.
Gimli Resident Capacity
Selkirk Resident Capacity
Gimli Apartment Housing
Hostel Personal Care 1970 1969
60 30 90 82
62 30 92 62
14 0
196 144
Resident Increase 1970 — 52
Resident Increase 1970 — 36%
This percentage should not be viewed as a statistical
figure, but rather an extension of service and facilities
directed toward the comfort and well being of the aged.
SELKIRK:
Following many months of
negotiation our 30 bed Per-
sonal Care Building received
Government approval, in the
month of June, 1969. While
it was a foregone conclusion
that this important project
would eventually be approved
we nevertheless were reluc-
tant to engage the services of
an architectural firm prior to
official consent; which ap-
proval qualifies the organiza-
tion for financial assistance
under the Elderly Persons
Housing Act'
Immediately on approval
we engaged a qualified firm
of architects. Meetings were
held with C.M.H.C., to obtain
the necessary mortgage fin-
ancing. Tentative cost figures
were obtained from a respons-
ible contractor and further
meetings were held with of-
ficials of the Department of
Health and Welfare, and the
Director of Elderly Persons
Housing. At this time it can
be truthfully said that the
completed building reflects
careful planning, as our Sel-
kirk Care facility compares
favourably with the best of
its kind in Manitoba.
I feel that a word of con-
gratulation is due to our Con-
tractor, Mr. Edward Benja-
minson, for an excellent job.
Throughout our negotiations
we insisted on Benjaminson
Construction Co., as the con-
tracting firm. Having regard
for price, quality of materials
and workmanship, our deci-
sion was correct. A letter
from the Minister of Health
confirmed our request, and
the contract was awarded ac-
cordingly.
On Sunday, June 4th, 1970,
the building was officially
opened by the Minister of
Municial Affairs. An appro-
priate program was planned
w h i c h included dedication
ceremonies. Pastor J. V. Ar-
vidson, of the First Lutheran
Church, Winnipeg, offered the
invocation, and Pastor M. G.
Komfeld, Chaplain of the
Home, read the Scripture as-
sisted by Pastor D. Berheim
of the Selkirk Evangelical
Lutheran Church. Our Board
member, Dr. George Johnson,
former minister of Health in
t h e Manitoba Govemment,
spoke on behalf of Betel. The
Matron and Staff served cof-
fee and refreshments for some
300 persons who were in at-
tendance at this happy event.
These details are recorded
in this report to permanently
record an important event in
the history of Betel.
The pressure of admissions
remains constant and while
we have expanded oúr facili-
ties by the addition of 30 beds,
the picture remains relatively
unchanged. As a matter of in-
formation I would mention
that it became necessary to
transfer 12 residents from the
Hostel to the Personal Care
Wing. This action confirms
our stated opinion that a care
ward is an essential to the
satisfactory operation of a
home for the aged. It is un-
necessary to enlarge upon this
aspect for our long experience
in Gimli, has conclusively
proved the importance of pro-
viding continuing care in
cases where persons whot
through advanced age and in
firmity, become bed cases.
The importance of enlisting
well experienced, satisfactory
nursing staff cannot be over
emphaSized. Mrs. Thompson,
our Matron, is particularly
well qualified to deal with
these matters. You will agree
that a special type of person
is required to fill such posi-
tions, one who is interested in
aged people and who possesses
a degree of understanding
coupled with dedication and
compassion; these are the per-
sonal attributes we sought
and I am pleased to report a
most satisfactory personnel
situation in our new ward.
The addition of 30 beds has
increalsed our resident capa-
city to 92 persons. This ex-
pansion of necessity requires
some staff reorganization.
Mrs. Thompson now becomes
Director of Nursing Care and
is responsible for the resi-
dents in both the Hostel and
the Personal Care Buildings.
Mrs. Runa Magnusson, L.P.N.,
will occupy the position of
M a t r o n in charge of the
Hostel assisted by Mrs. Hay.
Mrs. A. Johnson, R.N., will
occupy the position of Charge
Nurse in the Personal Care
Ward. Other minor changes
have been made relating to
staff positions to provide pro-
per co-ordination within the
composite unit.
On the basis of a carefully
prepared budget the rate in
the Personal Care ward will
be $11.00 per diem, which
figure is well below prevail-
ing rates. This rate will apply
for the 7 month period in
1970, i. e. from June to De-
cember. Our actual opergting
experience will prove wheth-
er or not this figure is realis-
tic.
In the area of staff relations
I would report that staff mor-
ale is high and that employee-
employer relationship is good.
It is with pride that I report
a most successful Centennial
Spring Tea sponsored jointly
by the Matron and Staff to-
gether with the Betel Wo-
men’s Auxiliary of Selkirk.
This spring event was held
on Sunday, May 4th, and we
were blessed with a beautiful
spring day and an overflow
attendance. Weeks of plann-
ing and preparation resulted
in the most successful social
event and as a fund raising
effort surpassed our expecta-
tions. The proceeds will be
used to defray the remaining
balance owing on the hall |
carpets. These hall carpets I
were donated by the staff at
a cost of some $4,000., and a
residual balance of $1,100.00
remains. This will be uged to
purchase a • portable steam
table for use in the infirmary.
I wish to pay a deserved tri-
bute to our staff for their
continued loyalty and dedica-
tion to the cause of Betel.
The fund raising effort in
itself is important, the public
relations aspect however is
b e y o n d price. The visitor
leaves the Home with a new
understanding of Betel, its
purpose and objectives, and
as a result develops an inter-
est in the Home and its pro-
gram. This fact is reflected
in our casual donations which
increased suþstantially during
the 12 month fiscal period.
At this point I would re-
spectfully suggest that the
Board give consideration to
preparing an illustrated book-
let briefly outlining the his-
tory of the Foundation and
providing factual information
with repect to both Homes.
As donatioi^s are received I
would suggest that apart from
the letter of thanks the book-
let be also mailed. In fact,
good management practices
suggest that such information
be supplied to persons inter-
ested in taking up residence
in Betel.
Mention was made in the
Administrators report of May
7th, 1969, of the advisability
of constructing Elderly Per-
sons Housing to complete our
Selkirk Complex. This is a
new sphere of endeavor for
Betel which is worthy of your
consideration. Considering the
fact that we own the land,
the financial involvement is
relatively small and will not
exceed 20% of the total cost
of the completed building in-
cluding stoves, refrigerators,
drapes, etc. The remaining
balance is self liquidating as
the cost is amortized over a
long period through C.M.H.C.,
financing. I therefore respect-
fully bring this project to
your attention as a 1971 de-
velopment.
The 1969 recommendation
referred to concludes, with
the following paragraph:
“Providing the Board agrees
to such a project we will have
developed an Elderly Persons
housing and care complex
which I believe will be the
most comprehensive and com-
plete development of its kind
in Canada”.
Concluding the Selkirk re-
port I am pleased to advise
that the Treasurer reports a
balance budget for the year
1969. Due to the increase in
the minimum wage schedule,
higher food costs and operat-
ing expenses, we were nev-
ertheless able to present a
favourable position at the
year end. — To be continued.
Fréttir frá íslandi
Framhald af bls. 1.
ráðgerðar tvær skemmtiferð-
ir héðan. Þá verður ekki hald'
ið til Osló eins og í ferðinni,
sem lagt var upp í í gær, held-
ur til Dýflinnar á írlandi-
Hefur verið mikil eftirspurn
eftir farseðlum í þessar lr'
landsferðir.
Mgbl. 21. maí.
* * *
DOKTORSVÖRN
6. júní hófst í Háskóla ís'
lands doktorsvörn við lækna-
deildina. Ib Persson lækmr
við Frederiksbergs-spítalann 1
Kaupmannahöfn ver ritger^
sína „Anthropological Investi'
gations of the Population °r
Greenland,” en hún fj allar
um mannfræðirannsóknir a
Grænlendingum, e i n k u m
blóðflokkarannsóknir. Ræð|r
Persson þar um hugsanleg a'
hrif íslenzkra landnema 1
Grænlandi fyrr á öldum, a
blóðflokkasamsetningu GrscU'
lendinga í dag.
Dr. Ólafur Bjarnason Pr°'
fessor stýrir doktorsvörninm
en andmælendur af háH11
læknadeildar verða prófessor-
arnir Jón Steffensen of dr. A-
E. Mourant frá London.
Persson er fyrsti útlending'
urinn, sem ver doktorsritger
við læknadeild Háskóla ís'
lands, en alls hafa ellefu lS'
lenzkir læknar lokið þar dokt'
oilsprófi.
Mgbl. 6. júm-
* * *
FULLORÐNAR SYSTUR
HITTAST í FYRSTA SlNN
Það var kátt á Loftleiðum,
er tvær fullorðnar systur hitt
ust í fyrsta sinn. Það vor11
þær Jóna Thorlacíus frá RlC^
mond, B.C. og Guðný Gu '
mundsdóttir, s e m b ý r a
Hrafnistu, (herb. 344 á ®
gangi, sími 35367, ef ættingjaf
vilja ná til hennar).
— Jú, segir Guðný, pa^ 1
fór út þegar ég var átta af®
gömul og skildi mig eftir.
á ennþá sjö systkini, sem es
hef aldrei séð,. 5 systur og tv0
bræður. Kannski koma ÞaU
áður en langt um líður. ,
— Já, segir Jóna, ég he
áreiðanlega, að von sé á fleir
u mnæsta ár.
Auk Jónu sem er ekkja eí
ir Búa Thorlacíus, og á eliaU
son, sem er bókari í Bury'
Lake, B.C., eru þama st®
Ásthildur Thorlacíus, ma»^
kona Jónu og Sigurður Bry11
jólfsson, sem hefur alla 26
fengizt við fiskveiðar, en haI1^
hefur verið búsettur í Vesihr
heimi í sl. fimmtíu ár. .
— Ég er af Bergsættiu^
segir hann, en konan mín 26
uð að vestan. Ég bý hjá sy5^
ur minni að Karlagötu 2l>
samt konu minni. Konuru ’
systurnar tvær og ég efU,
systkinaböm. Mín er ekki g
ið í bókinni um BergsættiU
Það finnst þar að vísu S1».
urður Brynjólfsson, sem a