It's not nursing homes vs. community-based services

Gary Rotstein clearly presented a success story about transitioning out of a nursing home ("Transition Program Helps Move Patients Out of Nursing Homes," April 26). But it's not the whole story.

The Rendell administration's policy direction is rightfully investing more funds in programs so people can stay in their homes and communities. However, depending upon where people live, and their own resources, it is far from clear that the necessary support and services necessary "in the community" are in place.

It takes services like meals, transportation, home health and social services to allow seniors to stay in their own homes and receive the help they need. Too, the president's budget cuts housing construction for low-income seniors even as there are nine people on the waiting list for every unit.

And here in Pennsylvania, there's increasing talk of nursing homes "versus" home and community-based services. That is much too simplistic; it is not an either-or proposition.

Southwest Pennsylvania's demographics dictate that all levels of care -- including nursing homes -- are necessary and must be adequately funded. The members of our association of nonprofit long-term care and service providers, PANPHA, represent all levels of the continuum of care, from in-home services to skilled nursing. We strongly believe that people should have the option of being in the least restrictive environment they can call home. But sometimes that means a nursing home.

Have you visited a not-for-profit nursing home recently? You'd be surprised at how home-like they have become.

RON BARTH
President and CEO, PANPHA
Mechanicsburg

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Single-payer, yes

The April 26 Midweek Perspectives piece "Health Insurance For All -- Yes, We Can" by Steven Larchuk and Scott Tyson, M.D., demands consideration.

Every American is apprehensive about health care -- the fear of losing health care and the constant erosion of health care for those who have it. The inability to change jobs, take a job or even retire is dependent on health care coverage consideration. Government granting corporate welfare to insurance companies to insure people is politically unsustainable. The administration of private health plans and the profits to the insurers eat up 25 percent of the dollars that are used for medical care. Medicare uses 3 percent of dollars for administration and 97 percent for care.

We have single-payer solutions on the national (HR676) and state (SB1085) levels. The people are ready -- 47 million people with no insurance and 100 million people with worsening insurance.

However, there are huge obstacles; insurance company profits, Wall Street commissions, newspaper advertising revenues and the public servants who depend on their health care industry contributions for election and re-election.

Single-payer universal coverage is the only solution.

ED CLOONAN
Munhall

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Save the bastion

It was with dismay and sadness that we read Patricia Lowry's excellent April 19 reportage about plans for changes at Point State Park, "Is It Taps For the Music Bastion?"

It seems inconceivable to rebury the entire bastion to make a level field for more active use of this 18-acre park. Memories are indeed short. Charles Stotz spent 20 years of research, including several visits to England where the only records and drawings are available. In the middle 1960s, the archeological dig of James Swauger and Richard Lang unearthed the Point corner stone and original stone footings almost 250 years old, along with lengths of the lower portions of the brick revetment wall eight to 10 brick courses high.

The purpose of preserving the Music Bastion was to give a sense of the scope and size of this largest fortress on the American frontier. The five-sided fort, surrounded by a moat with protective bastions at each of the five corners, required a half-mile circuit walk by sentries.

Patricia Lowry's suggestion is a sensible compromise between a more utilitarian use of the site and its history by preserving a small section of the bastion and identifying the original brick.

Let us not lose sight of the dedication, time, work and expense of all those who unearthed and preserved the bastion. Fort Pitt is to Pittsburgh what Independence Hall is to Philadelphia.

ROBERT E. SAMPSON
President
East End-East Liberty Historical Society
East Liberty

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Ill-founded

I found the accusations in the May 1 column by Ruth Ann Dailey ("Election Year Gamesmanship At Its Finest") ill-founded. First of all, almost 20 percent of students in the Upper St. Clair elementary, middle and high schools are enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program, not 1 percent as Ms. Dailey suggested.

Secondly, anybody who still believes that the board's decision was "fiscal" should read the court documents (available at www.county.allegheny.pa.us/protho; search for case GD-06-006708 in civil docket access) that clearly reveal the theocratic aspirations of the board majority. The legal fees accumulated as a result of the "fiscally responsible" majority's decision to be represented by a law firm outside the district's insurance coverage, at the taxpayers' expense.

I agree that our school district can afford the IB program on its own. However, I would like to point out that Gov. Rendell's offer was under Project 720, which supports advanced programs like IB. A similar grant was given to the South Fayette School District, which can hardly qualify as poor. This project is separate from the programs used to help the poor school districts like Duquesne.

Finally, let me add that I voted for Gov. Rendell last time and I will vote for him again in November because he is an excellent governor. This has nothing to do with his support of the IB program.

ANNA VAINCHTEIN
Upper St. Clair

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About New River Gorge

In "Developers Moving In On New River Gorge" (April 30), a developer incorrectly indicated that only the National Park Service had concerns about the proposed development of approximately 2,000 houses in New River Gorge.

In fact, local residents and business owners raised strong objections at a series of public meetings on the proposed housing developments that threaten this national park. Furthermore, hundreds of park fans wrote to decision-makers, urging them to relocate housing developments that would otherwise scar the scenic views.

The New River Gorge is a priceless natural and cultural resource that belongs to all Americans. More than 1 million people enjoy the world-class recreational and educational opportunities available at the New River Gorge National River every year, spending more than $80 million and supporting nearly 2,500 local jobs.

Our national parks need greater protection and sufficient resources, not aggressive development, to ensure that this treasure is preserved unimpaired for future generations.

ERIN HADDIX
Field Representative
National Parks Conservation Association
Washington, D.C.

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Slippery slope

In defending Gov. Rendell's hesitancy about signing or vetoing eminent domain legislation, his spokeswoman stated, "The governor's main focus with this legislation is that the greater good of the community is properly balanced with a property owner's rights" ("Law Would Restrict Eminent Domain," April 26).

The Oxford English Dictionary contains a definition about "a theory which advocates a state of society in which there should be no private ownership, all property being vested in the community and labour organized for the common benefit of all members." That definition is for "communism."

PAUL J. KAROL
Mt. Washington

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Leaders are hearing our voice: Take action in Darfur

We witnessed something amazing last week. On April 30, tens of thousands of Americans traveled to Washington to tell our government that we need to end the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. This scene was repeated in cities across in the country, including Pittsburgh, over the course of the week.

The local call for action headed up by the Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition has been no less impressive. Over 15,000 of our friends and neighbors have signed postcards calling on President Bush to act. Nearly 300 of us traveled to the D.C. rally.

Nothing short of multinational intervention will stop the genocide in Darfur. The United States must do everything necessary to ensure that a U.N. peacekeeping force is deployed in Darfur. This might mean footing part of the bill and it might mean applying some due diplomatic pressure on countries like Russia and China that have interests in Sudan.

And our voice is having an impact. The Bush Administration has been talking about Darfur a lot more lately. Now it needs to turn this talk into action. We need to apply pressure at the United Nations -- let the rest of the world know that we are serious about ending this genocide. If we don't, chances are the world won't act. The violence in Sudan will spread to Chad and could spread across Central Africa. Millions will suffer and Darfur will hold a place next to Rwanda in our collective shame. That is, unless our leaders hear our voice.

BEN LONG
Program Director
Global Solutions Education Fund
Downtown