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JUNE 20, 2014
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Vol. 63, Issue 118
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Doctor shortage needs community response
About 20 per cent of Cranbrook’s residents don’t have a family doctor; there are no easy answers, and the solution depends on the whole community’s approach S A L LY M AC D O N A L D Townsman Staff
Recruiting new family doctors to Cranbrook is a task that requires the whole community to participate,
health care professionals are urging. Three people from the East Kootenay Division of Family Practice spoke at a Cranbrook and District Chamber
of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday, June 18 about efforts to fill vacant family doctor position in Cranbrook. Dr. Greg Andreas, a family physician at the
F.W. Green Clinic, told the gathered business people that there are close to 4,000 people in Cranbrook who don’t have a family doctor. According to B.C. Stats, Cranbrook’s population is between 19,000 and 20,000 people, meaning that roughly 20 per cent of
the city’s residents don’t have access to a family doctor. The shortage of family doctors affects the entire community, explained Jo Ann Lamb, lead for the A GP For Me Initiative by the Division of Family Practice. “There are impacts
in many areas,” said health care available to Lamb. “Family physi- them.” cians will continue to Meanwhile, as rebe overtaxed and their ported in the Townsjob satisfaction may go man on Monday, June down. People will con- 16, doctors in the hostinue to go without lon- pital emergency degitudinal care and rela- partment are also intionship with a physi- creasingly overtaxed as cian, so they have frag- those orphaned pamented care. And there tients are forced into is an economic impact the hospital for care, on a community that which is not ideal care people may consider for the patient. not coming to because there is not enough See STRATEGIES, Page 3
Seniors voice concerns to provincial advocate ARNE PETRYSHEN Townsman Staff
SALLY MACDONALD PHOTO
On Thursday, June 19, a new time capsule commemorating the 50th celebration of Sam Steele Days was sealed and dedicated to the citizens of Cranbrook in 2039, when it will be opened. The Sam Steele Society proudly showed off the crowning achievement of the 2014 Sam Steele Days festival. Pictured, left to right: board members Mike Adams, Christy Wheeldon, Nancy Van Oosten, Corinne Friesen, Mike Matejka, Laura Kennedy, Marla Smith, Melanie McFarlane, and Lynn O’Neill.
A message to the future SALLY MACDONALD Townsman Staff
Cranbrook citizens gathered on Thursday, June 19 to seal up a special time capsule to be opened in 2039. The large time capsule sits upon a rock slab behind the Cranbrook and District Chamber of Commerce headquarters on the strip, the crowning achievement of the 50th celebration of Sam Steele Days. More than a hundred people took part in the dedication ceremony and unveiling of the
shiny time capsule, which features the logo of the Sam Steele Society in 2014. The time capsule contains notes, recordings, keepsakes and mementoes of life in Cranbrook in 2014 from 103 contributors: 23 businesses, 24 citizens, 10 schools, 38 clubs and organizations, and eight government and governing committees. There are such items inside as a signed paddle from the Abreast in the Rockies dragonboat team, a vest with every
button from the 50 previous Sam Steele Days festivals, a digital interview with Bud Abbott about the original Sam Steele Society, a book written and personally signed by Sir Sam Steele’s grandson, a 3D printed moustache, and bottle of Crown Royal. The modern-looking time capsule was design and created by Fab-Rite Services. The rock slab it sits upon came from Roderick’s Skid-Steer Service. Signal Collision provided the custom paint job,
with special paint from Lordco Auto Parts. Wolfpack Signs and Printing made the custom 3D sign. Interior Sports and Trophies made the dedication plaque. EFM Towing moved the heavy rock slab into place. Sandy Zeznik donated her time to accept submissions and help coordinate the project, which was overseen by Sam Steele Days organizer Maureen Frank. For a calendar of events for Sam Steele Days, June 19-22, visit www.samsteeledays.org.
Seniors were able to broach their concerns and questions with the new provincial seniors advocate. Isobel Mackenzie, B.C.’s first seniors advocate, met with Cranbrook seniors at the Seniors Centre on Thursday, June 19. The East Kootenay is one of the last stops on her cross-province tour of speaking to seniors. “It’s my job to make, as much as possible, the experience of a British Columbia senior as good as possible, and as standardized as possible,” Mackenzie said, adding that just because you live in a smaller comunity doesn’t mean you should be receiving fewer services than someone who lives in the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island. “I’m committed to making sure seniors are recognized and respect-
ed for the individuals that they are and for the great abilities that they bring and contributions that they make to our community,” she said. Concerns that residents brought up at the meeting included the loss of family doctors and the lack of ease in transportation to treatments in Kelowna. Mackenzie said the doctor issue is going to be very challenging to address. “You can’t pull doctors out of the air and force them to come in and relocate to Cranbrook,” she said. “You can try to put incentives in place that will make doctors want to choose to practice in rural areas, but it is difficult.” She said her job is to make government understand that while it’s an issue for everybody, it’s particularly an acute issue for seniors.
See SENIORS, Page 4