More musing, S/A and Meals on Wheels

So the Daily News published my last letter, Improved social safety net is what is needed, not too bad a job of editing.

Below is a link to more on the plan by VIHA, for the uninformed the Vancouver Island Health Authority, to cut funding to Meals on Wheels and another letter sent but unpublished as yet. Government and their lackeys just don't get it and it appears to be the same across the political spectrum. There are some services that it just makes sense to fund because ultimately they do or would save a vast amount of the taxpayers money.

Independance at risk for meal clients

Letter unpublished as yet

The social aspect for both volunteers and clients is but an added, no cost, benefit of the ‘Meals on Wheels’ program. Much like how the government would save money by housing the homeless, providing these people with a healthy meal is a cost saving alternative to the much higher costs that would be born by hospitals and other provincial care facilities in the event ‘Meals on Wheels’ shuts down.

The rationale government bureaucrats’ use, cutting funding that ultimately saves government far more money, simply does not make sense. If this is not a core service, providing a fundamental aspect of healthy living, that meets VIHA's responsibility to “ensure public money is spent wisely and deliver clear health benefits to the greatest number of clients," then what is?
That the providers of ‘Meals on Wheels’ are having a tough time meeting with VIHA comes as no surprise. This is an arm of government that consistently, despite spending a lot of money on an effective communication strategy, seems to disdain even the basics of community consultation.