| While Alberta’s Health Minister Gary Mar was in Calgary recently to announce funding for a publicly funded inner-city seniors’ health program operated by The Alex Health Centre, what he didn’t mention is how Calgary’s most vulnerable population–the homeless and mentally ill who live on the streets– rely on another Alex program kept alive through the kindness of an anonymous donor.
The Alex Community Health Bus, operated by the Inglewood-based non-profit health care organization, rolled on to Calgary’s streets on Nov. 1, 2002. At a cost of $220,000 the 38-ft. converted motorhome was purchased with a donation from the now defunct Calgary Community Lottery Board, funds raised by the Alex Health Centre, donations from The Calgary Old Timers Hockey Association and private donors.
"The bus" as it has become known on Calgary’s streets is a fully equipped mobile medical clinic that travels to regular locations in inner-city neighbourhoods five days a week. Staffed by two registered nurses and a crisis worker, the Alex Health Bus last year had 3,600 client contacts with some of Calgary’s most neglected citizens.
Mike Simpson is one of those who counts on the professionals that staff the bus to help him survive on the streets. During the day, Simpson makes his living by picking bottles from the trash and at night he sleeps on the sidewalk.
"You try to find a spot out of the wind," he says while waiting to board the health bus which, today, is parked in front of the Uptown Bottle Depot.
Simpson is a casualty of the frigid temperatures Calgarians experienced in late December. Today he is visiting the health bus to have one of the nurses check his right hand. As he pulls the threadbare glove off his hand, the damage inflicted by frostbite is evident. His fingernails are turning black and the skin of the affected area is a putrid yellow colour.
Despite his condition, Simpson laughs off the incident as part of life on the streets. He counts himself as one of the lucky ones, knowing that the staff on board of the bus will offer him some new gloves and, most importantly, understanding.
"If it wasn’t for them a lot of people would be hurting," he says. "We trust the people on the bus."
Registered nurse Tacie McNeil has been with the program since the beginning, treating everything from cuts to hepatitis. With the co-operation of a nurse practitioner who also works on the bus two days per week, medications can also be prescribed (NURSES CAN PRESCRIBE MEDICATION? NEEDS CLARIFICATION). Yet, the most important thing McNeil and the rest of the staff offer their clients is respect.
"We establish a trusting relationship with these people," she says. "Nobody ever leaves the bus feeling less of a human being."
Although the health bus is not meant to replace a medical doctor, for many who live on the streets this service is their only contact with the health care system. By taking this brand of enlightened service to the inner-city, health bus staff provide attention to a group of people that might otherwise never receive treatment.
"These are the hardcore homeless," says McNeil. "We see a guy with pancreatic cancer; he will die. He won’t access any other health care. He comes here for a little TLC and food."
With funding from the anonymous donor secure for one more year, the health bus is guaranteed to keep operating until Nov. 2005. That’s when the $275,000 it costs annually to run the program ends. Although confidential negotiations to secure long-term funding are underway, to date no agreement has been reached.
For now The Alex Health Bus continues to roll through Calgary’s inner-city neighbourhoods with its staff providing care to those who call the streets home. |
Copyright ©2004 FFWD. All rights reserved.