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Surplus hospital equipment a lifesaver for nurse by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff 3 | Friday, January 15, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com An Oakville nurse is praising the kindness of strangers, who arranged to get her ailing father medical equipment needed to improve his quality of life. Wilhelmine (Willie) Jones, who has worked for Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) for the last eight years, said the lives of her family took a sudden and frightening turn on Nov. 13, 2015 when her father, Harold Giffening, 83, suffered a catastrophic stroke. Giffening was living independently in the village of Priceville, Ont., but the medical episode left him unable to care for himself. "He was essentially immobile, bedridden. He's in a wheelchair now. He needs assistance to walk any little bit. He can maybe walk about five or six steps," said Jones. "He's also blind on the left side of each eye. Despite all that, he's in great spirits." Due to the severity of the stroke, Jones was told her father would need to be moved to a nursing home. Jones disagreed that a nursing home would be the right environment for the 83-year-old, stating his mind is still very active and alert. She ultimately decided he would be better living with her in Oakville. The problem was making her house ready for him. They're heroes. They are just heroes to me. They were so kind. You have no idea. They hugged me. People were just coming out of the woodwork to help. I've never seen anything like it. People can really surprise you. I've just been overwhelmed by their kindness. Wilhelmine (Willie) Jones Oakville resident Wilhelmine (Willie) Jones and her dad, Harold Giffening. | submitted photo "One of the doctors at OTMH made a little (wheelchair) ramp for me and another doctor I know from Toronto General made another ramp for me in my garage," said Jones. "But he kept falling out of bed." While Giffening made light of the situation, noting after one fall he was "just making sure the floor was level," Jones quickly realized her father needed a proper hospital bed, complete with railings. The obstacle in getting that piece of equipment was its cost, with Jones discovering it would cost $300 per month just to rent something approaching a hospital-quality bed. Jones' luck finally changed when OTMH's move, on Dec. 13, 2015, to its new site at Dundas Street and Third Line approached. "I was working at OTMH one day and they were dismantling things prior to the move. There was a fellow in construction boots who said they were trying to figure out what was coming and what was staying," said Jones. "I asked them if I could buy a hospital bed." The man turned out to be from the Readiness Group Inc., the firm entrusted by Halton Healthcare with the liquidation of surplus equipment from the OTMH legacy site. He soon received authorization to provide Jones with one of these surplus beds at no charge. see Hospital on p.11 kyBoot walk-on-air Established in 1997 In A Nurturing Environment! Enriched curriculum, French and Music programs. PROUDLY PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION Great for winter sports. kyBoot... The perfect winter boot. Always warm feet Non-slip soles Helps protect the knee joints. Voted #1 Montessori School in Oakville for the last 3 years in a row! Richard Price Experience them Here. DIAMOND 267 Lakeshore Rd. E., Oakville Mon.-Fri. 10-6, Sat. 9-1 A Trusted name in Oakville for over 20 years! www.kybun.com Pharmacist/Owner BOOk YOUR TOUR for September 2016 enrollment. Elementary grades 1 to 3, Preschool, JK and SK 2379 TRAFALGAR ROAD, UNIT 6 OAKVILLE · 905.257.5955 Visit www.trms.ca or email at admin@trms.ca 905.842.2770