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Friday, September 15, 2000 Independent Living Centre staff criticized at meeting B y K im A m o t t THE OAKVILLE BEAVER SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Some staff working with seriously handicapped residents at Oakville's Independent Living Centre are abusive, inconsiderate and unwilling to take direc tion from patients, according to two resi dents of the Robinson Street apartment complex. At a meeting held Wednesday night to publicly air concerns about treatment of residents at the centre, tenant Heather Barnard said that she finally refused to accept any further care from the atten dants, who are employed by the Ontario March of Dimes. Barnard, who now receives care through the Red Cross, told the audience of about 15 that some attendants refused to wash their hands before preparing her meals, or don masks and gloves when requested to. She says she was sent male attendants to help her with personal care, despite specifically requesting females. When she complained, Barnard said she was told that if she wouldn't accept men, she would not get care. The situation persisted until she finally contacted the Human Rights Commission to complain. Barnard added that attendants, who perform such tasks as bathing, toileting, housecleaning and meal preparation, would refuse to put dishes or laundry -- where she asked them to, and even put dirty dishes back into her cupboards. "I was viewed as crazy and difficult by the Ontario March of Dimes," she said. "The style of management within this organization is Harmful." The five-storey Oakville Independent Living Centre (the Jean and Howard Caine Apartments) on Robinson Street was com pleted by the March of Dimes in 1995 and contains 59 units. About 24 units are home to residents with disabilities, many of whom receive attendant care services through the March of Dimes. The services are funded by the provin cial Ministry of Health. The philosophy of the centre's care pro gram emphasizes self-directed care, which allows residents to direct attendants as to how and when they wish to receive assis tance. But resident Jo-Ann Oglivie, who moved into the building in 1995 with her two sons, told the audience that attendants ignored her need for privacy and dignity when receiving assistance with toileting, verbally abused her and yelled at her chil dren. The meeting also heard from Peter Bechard, owner of a nearby health care services firm, who wrote a letter to the Ministry of Health back in 1997, com plaining about the treatment residents at the facility were receiving. (See `Care' page 12' · * Photo by Peter C. McCusker Independent Living Centre resident Jo-Ann Oglivie airs her concerns Wednesday evening. M O NT BLANC J O S H U A C R E E K T R A D IN G -- FU R N ITU R E & H O M E DECOR B ar Sta S KlarPeppter Sofas from* 7 8 9 Rustic Pine Iron Bed, % complete $684 · 5 Piece Mission Solid Oak Bedroom Suite $3999 · Parson Chairs $299 · Chair + a half $649 Sat.10-6, 5un . T h u k & F m. 10-8, M T im on . 10-5 (Speers Rd .& 4 t h Line H o rto n s) www.starpages.com/joshua-creek 842-3739 S P E E R SR O A D 1 0 2 9 SPEERS R D .# 3 & 4 O A K V IL L E O akville Place M all jmum 905-337-9799 OAKVILLE (0 H O N D A 191W YECROFTRD. O A K V ILLE 9 0 5 -8 4 4 -9 8 3 1 ehonda.com Ithout Compromise * Moke a Honda Accelerated Service Appointment for our replacement muffler service and it takes only 60 minutes or less. This one-piece muffler assembly means there is no hid den cost for additional pats & installation. It's one piece, one price and a guaranteed fit for your vehicle. 1-year A ccelerated unlimited mileage warranty included. ONE-HOUR SERVICE** H o n d a ap p roved rep la cem en t m u ffler * Installed price. Only taxes extra. For Accord & Civic only. ___________________ I A L S When you bring your car in for service at Oakville Honda you get.. Com petitive Pricing Factory Honda Trained Technicians Genuine Honda Parts " Easy Ride" GO Troin Servke Free Shuttle Service Vehicle Pfck-up & D elivery Free Hand Car Wash A Friendly face THERE'S NO PRICE LIKE HOME BRING IT HOME TO u H O N D A ·A v a ila b le o n m o st H o n d a 's . L im ite d T im e O ffe r. Taxes n o t in c lu d e d . P ro v in c ia l e n v iro n m e n ta l fees, i f any, e x c lu d e d . D e a le r m a y sell fo r less. See y o u r H o n d a D e a le r fo r f o il details . **By ** tails. appointm ent only.