Editor: The Times
There are many issues facing us as seniors in our day to day lives. Some of the issues, such as the Mobility Study and Clearwater’s Age Friendly Plan are positive events supporting the road ahead for seniors as this community matures. Having Robert Bateman visit recently in support of TRU’s sod turning for their research facility in the Upper Clearwater reminded me that age is just a number when I realized he is a vibrant man in his eighties. Folks are looking forward to the development of a dedicated seniors’ room in the Dutch Lake School development.
There is one soul sucking issue affecting all of us that has raised its ugly head recently. The decision to give the contract for body removal in the event of death in the North Thompson to a contractor from away strikes at the core of my vulnerability as a senior, as it does for all who are navigating the stressful time when a death occurs.
At a recent Wells Gray Country Seniors Society meeting, participants talked with tears in their eyes about their experiences around the end of the life of a friend or family member that they had attended. Every person who spoke recalled with respect and appreciation the way this tender time was so professionally and lovingly handled by Drake Smith of North Thompson Funeral Services.
We all felt despair as we thought about such a callous act as transporting a deceased loved one away, by unknown people just doing their job. I plan on learning more about this issue and making an effort to right what I perceive as a grievous wrong. Seniors deserve respect and dignity. This contract is neither respectful nor dignified.
Sandra Holmes
Clearwater, B.C.