Twenty five dollar-a-day daycare. It was an NDP campaign promise and they are using some of your federal tax dollars to open up more spaces.
It’s making life a lot easier for a lot of people.
At the same time, they’re still talking about how to handle the deluge of dementia.
As they figure out how to open up more beds, they need to make sure some new rooms have space for two people, so that elderly couples do not have to be torn apart by poor planning.
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We’ve heard about couples tearfully being separated in the past, and now it’s happening again.
This time in New Brunswick, where Herbert and Audrey Goodine have been given a virtual forced divorce just before Christmas. After 73 years together, he — at 91 — needs advanced care for dementia. She —at 89 — does not, so they are being separated.
Their daughter calls it senior abuse. I find it difficult to disagree with that.
The Alberta NDP is working to get daycare right. Let’s hope they can do the same for dementia without breaking the taxpayer bank.
I admit my concern may be partly personal. As I’ve said in the past, my wife Marg and I have been together since high school and we do not want to be separated when we are about to graduate from life school.
Bob Layton is the news manager of the Corus Edmonton group of radio stations and a commentator for Global News.