Amazing 91-year-old Kent

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The Lamont Health Care Centre (LHCC) held its Annual General Meeting June 19 where board chair Kent Harrold, 91, was acclaimed and is serving his 47th year in the role.

Harrold was first elected in 1976 after then board chair Mr. R. B. Christie resigned, according to Trudy Harrold’s book on the history of LHCC, titled ‘On Highest Mission Sent’.

“I don’t know how many miles are left in me,” Harrold joked with the crowd of 30. “But thank you very much.”

Mae Adamyk was also acclaimed as Board Vice Chair while LHCC executive director Shahad Bharmal was acclaimed as Secretary Treasurer.

Harrold provided hospital updates to the crowd, including a low occupancy rate in the long-term care facility that he said is ‘problematic’. Harrold said a new facility is in the works that would provide people with more modern amenities if provincial funding can be secured.

“We've made an application to the provincial government for a grant to replace the present aging structure with a new facility. (We’ve been lobbying for a long time) must be about 10 years,” he said.

“We recognize that people just don't want to live in a facility that was acceptable 60 years ago. People want their privacy now, and it's not available in the old facility.”

Harrold also shared other news from the LHCC in terms of celebrating their 110th anniversary this past Sept. while also reaching a nationwide record for rural hospitals in achieving 100 continuous years of accreditation.

LHCC, which was built Sept. 2 1912, is surveyed for accreditation once every four years with their first accredita- tion recorded in 1921.

In addition, Harrold also touched on the current nursing shortage experienced around the province including in Lamont. He said that they have had to resort to accessing a private for-