A8 Friday, January 24, 2014 - The Morning Star
Opinion
Loss of CT raises health concerns
Ian Jensen – Publisher Glenn Mitchell – Managing Editor
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The North Okanagan’s Community Newspaper Published Sunday, Wednesday, Friday The Morning Star, founded in 1988 as an independent community newspaper, is published each Sunday, Wednesday and Friday morning. Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures which should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. EnTIRE ConTEnTS © 1988 MoRnInG STAR PuBLICATIonS LTd. ALL RIGhTS RESERVEd
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Publisher Ian Jensen 250-550-7906
Managing Editor
Glenn Mitchell 250-550-7920
A
Looking for the bucks
lthough I believe most of us should pursue careers that we actually get some fulfillment out of, there will always be those who pick a career, job or profession because they want to make as much money as possible. In other words, the salary is their motivator. If you look at the cost of buying a house in Canada you can see why many young adults are doing just that. Today, it takes a significant wage for most to own a home if they are just starting out. Although prices have dropped recently in Kelowna, over the past 20 years the cost of buying a home has risen. In 1994 you could purchase, Jane Muskens on average, and depending on the age of the house and location, a home for about $170,000. Today that same house would probably sit at anywhere between $350,000 and $400,000. The problem is that wages have not kept up with inflation - especially in the housing market. To afford a $400,000 home you need about a $20,000 down payment. You can expect to pay at least $1,500 a month, if not more, for your monthly mortgage payment. To qualify to buy this home (taking in account a number of factors such as taxes and other costs associated with home ownership), you would need to earn a minimum of $105,000 annually. Right now the median pre-tax household income in Kelowna is around $50,000. For families with two adults and at least one child, this pre-tax income rises to around $82,000. Both of these incomes are significantly less than the $105,000 required to buy a house in Kelowna.
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The probability is slim of a young adult who either just graduated from high school, college or university, securing a $105,000-a-year job. Many would have to consider renting, or continue to live at home, where they might be able to save enough money for a larger down payment. If salary is to be the driver, the best options for students interested in only the money are engineering, health care and trades. A recent report indicated that young men between 17 and 24 years of age who opted out of college and university and decided to work in the oil patch have seen a significant increase in their wages. These wages have led to decreases in enrolments by men in post-secondary education in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland. Although I understand why a young adult would want to make a good wage, especially in light of the housing costs in Canada, I think the plan to go straight from high school to employment is short-sighted. There are many certificate, diploma and degree programs in colleges and universities across Canada that can get you into well-paying jobs either working in the oil patch or working in an industry associated with it. With a post-secondary credential chances are you will be one of the last to be laid off during any downturn and the one most likely to find employment elsewhere. And that’s why if salary is driving your decision about what to take at college or university, it’s wise to invest energy in career planning that will help you secure long-term employment with a relatively good wage. Jane Muskens is the registrar at Okanagan College. Comments can be forwarded to jmuskens@okanagan.bc.ca
When a vital piece of equipment was out of commission at Vernon Jubilee Hospital this week, it obviously raised some concerns. The loss of the CT scanner for nearly 30 straight hours sent emergency cases to Kelowna and other scheduled scans were re-booked. That all only adds to the backlog, both here and in Kelowna, as there is currently about an eight-week wait time for urgent cases and 20 weeks for non-urgent. The scanner is used in a variety of cases including cancer, pediatric, elderly, trauma and respiratory-compromised patients. It allows doctors to detect life-threatening illnesses at early stages. “With early diagnosis, many patients are able to receive less invasive treatments with better outcomes possible than with later diagnosis,” said George Abbott, then minister of health services when the current machine was unveiled in 2008. While the machine is key in early diagnosis, how can an eight-week wait list for an urgent patient be of benefit? But the reality is that everything comes with a price. In a perfect world, Vernon would have 10 CT scanners, but funds prevent that. The current machine cost $2 million five years ago, so it’s likely the cost of an additional one would be even more. Also consider that in the medical field, there are numerous pieces of equipment that are in demand, or in need of replacement and/or repair. So Interior Health has to weigh the need and benefits of each according to its budget. But if another CT scanner is indeed needed, perhaps the community can step up to demand and help support the purchase of a new one.