It continues to be a sad and shocking struggle for power and control.
The situation of the Irene Thomas Hospice in Ladner has been dire to say the least in the past few weeks. As we have been reporting, the war of words continues to ramp up between the Fraser Health Authority and the current society board.
The FHA is trying to transition the facility as it takes control at the end of the month, while the Society Board tries to deny doing anything wrong and continues to lay the blame squarely at the feet of the FHA and the provincial government.
All the while, caught in the middle of this power struggle, are the patients and the families and the doctors and nurses – the staff charged with their care. No one should be treated like pawns on a chess board and that is exactly how they all have been treated.
It is simply deplorable what has happened to a facility that has had, up until this past year or so, been a remarkable place of care and support. Some say a glowing reputation has been ruined by a board that wants to ignore what is right for their own selfish gain and ideologies.
I know first-hand just how wonderful and caring the staff and volunteers are at Delta Hospice. When our family lost our mother unexpectedly in January 2019, I turned to hospice for their bereavement and counselling support. I don’t know where I would be had it not been for their kind words, love, compassion and support as I went through a very sad and dark time.
It’s this kind of support that should be one of the legacies of this amazing facility, but instead that has been tarnished.
I can only hope that in the coming weeks, the facility can be returned to what it once was, and the staff can return to do what they do best – providing care and compassion to our community.
