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Vet doesn't want to leave Oakville hospital Senior balks at move to Etobicoke long-term care home By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 3 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, June 25, 2009 If 92-year-old Paul Parkin had wanted to move to Etobicoke, he's had 88 years to do it. The senior and Second World War veteran moved to Oakville in 1920 at age four and has lived here ever since. Now, after being hospitalized last January and given leave to depart Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) May 1, Parkin is refusing to go. That is because he needs longterm care and after requesting a placement at three Oakville longterm care residences, he was given a placement at Etobicoke's Highbourne Lodge until something in Oakville comes open. Parkin doesn't want to move from his hometown or his family. Even with the threat of a $700 per day charge since May 1 looming in the background. "We've got great respect for this gentleman's service to his country and we respect his choices for longterm care," said OTMH spokesperson Trish Carlton. While it may appear the hospital is encouraging Parkin to move, Carlton said a $700 per day charge, per hospital policy, hasn't even been discussed as being levied, yet. Although the charge is available to the hospital, Leslie Starr-Hemburrow, director of patient flow at OTMH, said, "We are currently not and never have charged any patient $700 a day." Carlton said a move -- at least temporarily to Etobicoke -- might be in Parkin's best interest. She suggested a long-term care setting, even outside of Oakville, may be a preferable place to wait than the hospital. There would be more recreation and socialization opportunities available for Parkin in a setting outside of OTMH, and he would run less risk of infection. The hospital, like all others in the province, now report publicly RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER HOME SWEET HOME: Paul Parkin, 92, sits in a wheelchair in his room at the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, where he would prefer to remain until he can find an open bed at a long-term care facility in Oakville. However, he is being asked to relocate to an Etobicoke facility until an Oakville bed becomes available and could face a $700-a-day charge since May 1 if he stays put. and are monitoring for C-difficile, and other viruses. For Parkin's, however, the only time he lived away from Oakville was when he joined the Canadian army in the Second World War. He was stationed in Aldershot, England, then France before taking part in the ill-fated Dieppe invasion where he was wounded in the shoulder and hip. He ended up as one of 2,000 Canadians taken prisoner by the Germans at Dieppe. Parkin spent time at three German prisoner-of-war camps before being liberated by the Russians.. Naturally, he returned to his hometown -- Oakville. From a family of 16 children -- eight boys and eight girls -- all raised here in town by Clarence Edgar and Mary Elizabeth, Parkin himself bought a house on Kerr Street for $2,800 after the war and settled down. He worked at various jobs including the tannery and raised his own family -- four boys and a girl -- here. Prior to being hospitalized, the widower had lived for two years with his youngest son, Doug, after moving from his Valley Drive home in the west end. In early January, Parkin's doctor sent him to Emergency after his health began failing and kidney failure had set in on top of his heart condition. Parkin is now as alert as ever -- discussing the old days in Oakville and the new growth that emerges almost daily. He is in a wheelchair, needs assistance to get out of bed, dress, bathe and move about. He also is supplemented for food and medication through a feeding tube. According to Doug, 52, a father of two grown daughters himself, Parkin needs lots of care and supervision -- too much for he and his partner, Terri, to provide while both working. Doug was initially visiting his dad daily at the hospital and still visits him several times a week. "He really looks forward to it," said Doug, who admits, "I'm spent. I'm emotionally and physically exhausted." In the last two weeks, Doug was laid off temporarily from his job as mechanic at G.E. due to the economy and he has been tackling his dad's new predicament. "I had an opportunity to go to Etobicoke, but that was too far away. It's too far for my immediate family to drive to. All I'm asking for is a space in Oakville. I've lived here about 90 years," said Parkin in his hospital room. "Put yourself in my position. I've lived in Oakville all my life. Would you want to be moved to Etobicoke? It's easy for people to say `Why didn't he go?' but I have the final choice. I don't want to move away," said Parkin. According to Doug, his father was able to be discharged from OTMH on May 1. Just before 5 p.m. that Friday, Doug said he was notified of the placement available in Etobicoke where his dad was to move on Monday, May 4. Doug said he tried to call and tour the facility, but staff had gone home and tours would only be available again the following week -- after his dad had moved in. Doug said they had applied for placement in Northridge, West Oak Village or Wyndham Manor long See Family page 11 FAN SALE RETAIL & WHOLESALE LIGHTING Oakville's Finest LIGHTING STORE in the Oakville Home Improvement District Ask about our FREE Installation OPEN SUNDAYS Kerr 243 Speers Road · Between Kerr & Dorval · Oakville, ON · 905.849.LITE (5483) · www.conceptlighting.ca