Planning applcatïon feehkercomnd AEy Robet Gerl.beck A hiinthfeà chedule for planning applications has been devlpentcommittee. approvea bi:y the planning'and Concilo Dennis Fox said the current fee rates hadn't changed since 1983 and weren't covering staff Costa. Cv 1He estirnated that $60000 would be raised by the move. "Thats $60,000 taxpayers won7t have te pz, added oi. iý application goes up fromn $250 te zoýngb.aw amendinent ap lication wilvary frorn $500 -A subdivision ýapplication which used te cost $200O will now be $25 ~r urnt, with a minimum of $1,0r0 and a ceiling of $2,500. The cost for a condornii' application will be $500. 'A site plan apnlication will be raised te $300 from $50. A minor variance application is being raised te $225 from $25.. An application for a sign bylaw aznençlrnent goes up te $450 frorn $150. A varieance ini the* sign bylaw will go.up from $150 te $50. - If passed by council next week, the new rates will go into effeet on March 12. Opposed to insurance bihl First Cla.ss THE SPECIAL DEMANDS 0F GERONTOLOGICAL NURSING Whitby General Hospital's continuin care unit operates 16 chranlo care and 16 long-term rehabliation beds. On average, clients are 85 years aId, with a medicai condition which has brought about a significant change in their Ife style.,Nurses wifth spec.alized trainhng help each person corne ta, ternis with these changes. Whon a client cornes- into the unit he or she la assignsd toaa particular pimary nurse. This ensures continuity and a secure atmosphsre for the client. "This nurse is the = de expert for the client," explains Baibaa Steete, the uni's nurse manager. The goal is ta Increase or maintain the health andwell-being of a client ta his or her maximum capacity. This naturally Includes helping the client reach the highest degres of indoependJence passible, given his or her physical condition. wThe approach ta client care is muftidksiplinary,n Ms. Steele states. Nursing staff work wth clients ta develop a plan for their cars which sets reatistic goals. They also wark with the occupatianai or recreational therapists, the dietitian or other members of the team ta establish a well raunded program. Ms. Steele is past president of the Gerontotog ical Nursig Association for Durham Region whuch promotes a hgh standard of nursing cars in ail aspects relating ta the health Of the elderly. The Association advocates the devetapment of geriatrios as a certif ied nursing specialty. Currently it is not. wCare of the elderly requires a complex range of specialized knawledge,0 states Ws. Steele. An elderly patient takes different kinds of medications and dosages. His or her need for exercise is different. steep patternis are aftered and nutritianal needs have changed,* she explains. A significant aspect of the nurses roIe is in helping clients understand and corne ta ternis with the physiology and psychology of aginig. wWe want ta hetp dispe their fear of aging ...or thet this unit means the end of te n. Each persan deserves ta be treated wth respect and dignity. Tha's the raie of the geriatric nurse,a says PMs. Steele. And i's a very stressfut rote bath physically and psychotogicalty. Rs. Steele compares the physical demands ta that af-a' Lang-Shoreman. *The nurse is lifting or praviding primary physical assistance ta a client wha coutd weigh 200 pounds or mare on a cantinuaus basisu she notes. In addition, in'many cases the nurse becomes like a farniiy member ta the client. This is sig ificant ta the client's sense of security, but can talcs an ernationatllt on the nurse. Ws currentiy service a population of appraximatety 150,000. On average we admit ans chronc-ae patient a year. We've got a 4 year waiting list.7 Another service the unit affers is Respite Cars. Sornetirnes calted Vacation Relief, this pragramn assists families caring for ioved anes ait home by albowing the patient a brief stay in the Hospital from time ta, time. Part of Whitby General Hlospital's $12.6 million redevelopment plan includes construction of a canitinuing-cars wing. This woutd add 36 beds ta the current number avallable. for a first class community! __T/ils space pro vided as, a public service by the Whftby Frpp Press-... FROM PAGE 1. surance prerniurns ray be more than what you have te pay out for benefits." Furlong said the rising cost of car - insurance prornpted the governinent te take action. Citing exarnples of local resi- dents faced with either whopping increases- or loss of coverage, Furlong said the government could not sit idly by. "The plan is not perfect but you have te do sornething or people won't be able te afford Inuace, or worse, will drive without it. Furlong conceded that the new system eiinae the right te sue for 90 te 95 per cent of accident victfims but said the majority of diaims neyer get te court anyway. H1e said the government has been listening and noted that for persona who cannot sue, the weekly incorne replacernent award has been increased frorn $450 te $650 and that patyrents muet be made within 30 days. "While sorneone cant be com- pnated for pain and suffering, tat's true, victims will recover frorn their'economic loase,» he added. Responding to Furlong's defenoe of the bill, Flahert;y said the criteriaestablished for deter- imning the right'te sue %isthe most stringent threshold i North America. "It does not refer te serious injuries but te, permarnent i- juries. You have te, be dead, a quadraplegic or a parapleic te recover your full ecoinornîc costa.» Flaherty warned that 1«peole could end up losing thefr homes" if they are not permitted te collect their fullicornes. He also noted that a broken femur (leg bone) mna not be considered a serious impairment te, someone who works at a desk, "but for someone who works on their feet it's another matter'" Councillor Marcel Brunelle argued against Buffett'srnotion, saymg that «sornething has to be done about car insuranoe, the system's out of order. "The concept of no-fault appeals te me and, on balance, if one looks at the pros and cons, I have te vote against the motion." Comrittee chairnian Joe Bugelli predicted that nothing would corne of whatever counci decides on the issue. StI, he chose te support Buf- fett's motion, "because the con- cept of no-fault is taking away a dernocraticright. "The governiment was wrong to take away our fundarnental lus- tioe. I would hate te, think ~At position I would be in if I lost 20 per cent of rny incorne.» Buffett teld reporters later she was pleased with the conunittee's decision "on either motion" and is optirnistic*,that council will support it. Construction delay FROM PAGE 1 built in twophae. It will be located irnrediately te the west of the tewn municipal building. Included i the first phase are a swimming pool, fitniess area and mult-purposeroom. The 25-metre swirnming pool will include a children's area, therpeuic oolwith Jets tepro- viea whirpol effect, anda .80-foot water alide. The second phase of the corn- plex will featuire a library, 200. seat -banquet hall, gymnai..., squash and raqetall courts. There will- be an iterval bet- ween completion of the first phase and commencement of the second, but the tine frame invol- ved is not yet known. Financing of the centre wilI corne from three sources a57 million debenture, $3.ernnllion from the Town s reserve funds and an $886,M4 grant frorn the Ontario government. The project m;anager is Whitby-based CDS. The buildinK waa, designed by Toronto archi- tects Moriyama & Teshima. W IMP9V NUR 00 AGMNfI ega CH 7,1090