BORN TO ROCK: 17 albums and counting for rocker Sharland, 14 MVP QB: Michael Calvert now weighing his university options, 24 HELP FOR DAVE
95
+%
Kindness allows store to survive, 6
'!** *)'"
,//$(&.-,.#
www.delta-optimist.com
NEWSSTAND $1
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2017
The voice of Delta since 1922
Hospice not place to provide MAiD Macey concerned by Fraser Health efforts to expand Medical Assistance in Dying to various care settings SANDOR GYARMATI
s g y a r m a t i @ d e l t a - o p t i m i s t .c o m
It’s something that shouldn’t take place in a hospice setting. Delta Hospice Society executive director Nancy Macey had that to say about the possibility the Ladner hospice would be required to provide medically assisted deaths. Fraser Health is exploring setting up Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in various care settings, including hospices, a move Macey said is being done without prior consultation. “They opened up a unit in New Westminster where they do the procedure and that’s been basically successful and dedicated for people who don’t want the procedure at home and have someone qualified there. What we got wind of is they (Fraser Health) verified they’re looking to put it in hospices and other care settings. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s a procedure and we don’t do procedures
in a hospice. It’s completely philosophically wrong with what we’re doing in palliative care,” she said.
suffering and who are at a point where natural death is reasonably foreseeable.” Macey, who founded Delta Hospice 25 years ago, said she’s conIt doesn’t make any cerned associating sense. It’s a procedure MAiD with hospices will only discourage and we don’t do people from utilizing procedures in a them. hospice. It’s completely “Most of our hospices are purposephilosophically wrong built, we’ve got with what we’re doing in specialist nurses, specialist staff. palliative care. They’re there to manage symptoms NANCY MACEY and (provide) spiritual support. People In July 2016, the federal govand MAiD don’t come for that, ernment passed legislation they’ve made a decision to have governing MAiD, permitting it in a place that’s purpose-built medical assistance in dying. and has that specialty and has Under the new law, doctors those resources,” she said. “may provide medical assistance MACEY: see Page 3 in dying to capable, consenting PHOTO BY ADRIAN MACNAIR adults who have a grievous and Nancy Macey founded Delta irremediable medical condition that causes enduring, intolerable Hospice Society 25 years ago.
TSB sends out investigators after collision on Fraser River IAN JACQUES
i j a c q u e s @ d e l t a - o p t i m i s t .co m
Transportation Safety Board investigators are trying to determine what might have caused a dredger and barge to collide
off Tilbury Island early Tuesday morning. According to TSB investigator Mohan Raman, the incident occurred around 5 a.m. The dredger, owned by New Westminster’s Graymar
Equipment Inc., somehow lost propulsion and drifted into the path of the barge (Stormwave). Raman said TSB investigators were deployed to the area on Tuesday afternoon. “At this time we have still
not determined what caused the mechanical failure and the dredger to drift into the path of the tug,” Raman told the Optimist Wednesday afternoon. “There was damage to the haul of the dredger, but no apparent
damage to the tug.” Raman said the dredger was back in the shipyard for inspection and repairs. There were no environmental concerns following the collision and no injuries were reported.
Real Auto Repair Difference Repaired the right way at Tsawwassen Collision
604.943.6383
17-1835 56th St. Tsawwassen (Behind Mcdonalds) www.tsawwassencollision.com