My Parents' Retirement
From: Brad
Date: Saturday, July 14, 2007 12:32 PM
To: mmflint@aol.com
Subject: Another Canadian Health Care Truth
Hi Michael,
I just would like to tell you the story of my parents' retirement. It started in 1979, they motorhomed throughout North America, ever Province, Territory and State. On one of their trips in 1993, while staying in Whitehorse Yukon, my Mother had a serious stroke. The small hospital in Whitehorse didn't have all the resources to handle all my mothers needs, she was transported by commercial airline to Vancouver, the closest major city to My parents' small town north of there. The cost completely covered, all seats for my mother and a nurse, only cost one seat for my father. My mother passed in 2003, but during that 10 years all her health needs were taken care of -- Hospital stays, regular family doctor visits, drugs, physical therapy, home care, wheel chairs -- right up to the day she passed away in a hospice was all covered. I'm sure there was much more, but my father would be too proud to accept. By sharp contrast the mother of good friends, who live in the US, retired in the early 1980's. Shortly after retiring she was diagnosed with cancer. She received treatment, but near the end of her life, about 5 years after retirement, she couldn't afford groceries or rent. She was lucky to have family that could take care of these most basic needs. This would not have happened in Canada. 10 years of caring for my Mother wasn't a financial hardship for my father.
Brad
Kelowna, BC, Canada
