Seaside Magazine welcomes your feedback! Send letters to the editor via allison@seasidemagazine.ca or post your comments on our Facebook wall! Letters may be edited for space and content.
In Karen Morgan’s article (“Inside Out;” September 2019), she articulates accepting the reality of her brother’s dementia diagnosis and reconciles herself to his inevitable deterioration. Karen’s second sentence “caregivers needs” resonates with me as I was a caregiver to my late husband before he succumbed to his dementia. Imagine if you can how difficult it was for me to watch my very intelligent, clever, witty best friend of 60 years slowly dissolve into simple child-like behaviour over five years. While I endured his slow, inevitable and final journey I became very aware of so many other caregivers, right here on the Saanich Peninsula, enduring their similarly lonely road. Since then my mantra has become “who cares for the caregiver?”
Current “experts'” advice is that “age in place” is the best option. What is missing is respite for the caregiver. At best, if caregivers are fortunate, respite comes when their loved one gains admission to a day health care facility such as Mt. Newton Centre Society, a non-profit organization which has quietly been serving Peninsula residents, almost under the radar, for the past 40 years at its location adjacent to SPH.
Mt. Newton’s services have been a God-sent four-hour-per-day reprieve for those caregivers lucky enough to outlast the year-long waiting list. Four precious hours per day is hardly adequate to do a few errands, let alone recharge the mental and physical batteries necessary because caregiving is non-stop – a 24/7 commitment.
Our Peninsula community is blessed with SPH and its Foundation which offers an almost complete continuum of care from proactively initiating the first primary care clinics in Sidney and Brentwood Bay to the end of life palliative and extended care facilities within SPH. What is desperately needed and is missing is respite care to enable caregivers to recharge their mental and physical batteries to carry on before they require medical care themselves. In the case of SPH there are only two respite beds, and sometimes only one bed is available if it’s desperately needed elsewhere for palliative or extended care.
Brenda Harfield, Sidney
I saw the picture on the cover and therefore, logically, expected to find an article inside. I was very interested in the story since I saw over 150 people in line at the Sidney market one night for scones; however, I couldn’t find the article anywhere. I was wondering if it was overlooked, never intended, or will be in a future issue?
Owen Kemp, Sidney
*Editor’s response: our covers don’t always have a story attached; sometimes they are just about encompassing the focus of the issue, in this case our special culinary features. We were so happy to be able to celebrate Chelsey Columbus and Sidney Scones; what a local success story!
Just wanted to congratulate your roving reporter Lara Gladych on her article, “Your Most Memorable Meal,” in your September issue. My cycling group and I were interviewed by her at Georgia Café in Sidney and two in our group were mentioned in her article. I especially like how she closed her piece with a memorable quote.
I love getting each copy of Seaside, and read it from cover to cover, always finding something which leads me to discover yet another great spot on the Peninsula. Case in point from your August issue (“Living Off the Land”): I led my cycling group to Marsh Farm on Wallace Road and had a great time chatting with Evelyn Marsh, learning the history of the farm and her passion to involve the community with her labour of love.
So, kudos to Lara and to all of you in producing such a wonderful product each month. Am looking forward to next month’s issue. Always a delight for me to peruse at leisure with my good cuppa Red Rose tea. Best to you all for a job well done!
Ev Kelly
I so enjoy Seaside every month. The variety of endlessly interesting content and the quality of the magazine itself are impressive. I read editorial on eating habits (Last Word; September issue), and boy, can I relate.
Incidentally, I have a friend who is in a Duncan nursing home after loss of her independence from a brain tumor. When I visit, she always bugs me to bring a copy of Seaside and read it to her; she lived here for most of her life and likes to hear what is going on in the area. We look at the articles and great photography and I tell her what it’s all about.
Keep up the good work.
Nancy Johnson
I’ve just enjoyed another great read through the October issue of Seaside Magazine. The cover is particularly spectacular this month. Congratulations to Sue Ferguson for her “The Girl with the Violin” photograph and to model Emma Jean for this eye-catching shot. Well done! Carry on the good work. All the best to you and the Seaside Team.
Arlene Antonik
Rejuvenating article on Elsy Perks (Meet Your Neighbours, October issue). This article restored my faith but also contrasted strongly with the current generation’s demands for “more $$$$ handouts from the government.” Ms. Perks illustrated how she succeeded throughout her lifetime just by “always feel I can make do with what I have.” She is a very strong example of how we should all be facing life.
Joyce Mylymok
