Patients and their families are now able to access information at Ridge Meadows Hospital to help them be more informed about their health care, thanks to a new resource centre that recently opened.

It was an idea originating with hospital site manager Cheryl Brabbins, to create a space with digital and paper information and a volunteer on-hand to help people when they are in the hospital.

And a $70,000 grant from the Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation has made it a reality.

The Health Information Resource Centre is in one room, near the main foyer of the hospital, and includes computer terminals and space for perusing information.

There will be a volunteer on site when it's open, to help look for resources.

The resource centre was planned with input from an advisory committee that included seniors, the hospital's volunteer resources manager Debbie Kennedy, and health-care staff.

Lil Seigo is one of the seniors who was on the committee, and she felt the seniors' voice was heard. The concern many seniors have is what happens after they are discharged from the hospital.

"The volunteers will work to make sure they get all the resources needed after they left the hospital so they wouldn't come back," Seigo said.

There are a lot of resources in Maple Ridge to help after being in the hospital, Seigo said, such as meals on wheels and shopping and handyman services.

Brabbins pointed out that about 50 per cent of British Columbians don't have "health literacy" to make informed decisions about health care.

The resource centre was designed to help people dealing with health issues access reliable information to help them make decisions.

mrantanen@mrtimes.com