Hospital Auxiliary a dedicated group 3Mb Anniversary Edition Wednesday Jane It Page 5 In todays busy world volunteers are fast becoming a rare commodity Yet despite the hustle and bustle of daily life the Georgetown Hospital Auxiliary with its more than volunteers is an active and dedicated group The organizations history dates back to the late 1950s when a small group of energetic women first established the Hospitals Auxiliary Since its creation the organizations financial contributions to Georgetown Hospital total about Some of the original founders such as Inez Lois Graham Lena Johnston and Eva Patterson have remained active in the Auxiliary since its incep tion They and others like them proudly continue Auxiliarys tradition of fundraising pro grams and activities There are however some Mris thai have changed Lena Johnston explains I remember taking around the Auxiliarys first gift cart It was 1061 and the rules for volunteers were very strict We were required to wear low heeled shoes and were not permitted to wear pants make up or earrings When selling items from the cart we would always remain outsider patients room and talk to them from the door Today the Auxiliarys role has expanded to include ward work training teen volunteers pro viding services in the Hospitals hair salon Then theres also a baby photography service flower arranging and running two gift shop operations Ambitious activities like these could not happen without the dedication of countless Auxiliary volunteers who have so willingly donated their time and effort to Georgetown Hospital To ail members past present and future a special thank May Instituted in 1963 the Hospitals Control Desk was used to regulate the flow of visitors to patients Auxiliary member Mrs John Vtetch checks in John Ollivler Photo submitted May Sterilizing equipment Is Mrs P Lewis keeping a careful check on the dials Note the uniform and cap Photo submit ted Auxiliary helps out In the Georgetown and District Memorial Hospital Auxiliary donated a mobile X Ray unit to the hospital The Auxiliary paid for the unit over two years Pictured above Inez Chrlchton Barbara Phlpps Jackie Lava Me Stlen Eva Patterson Anita Eva Anna Ewen VI Haines Karen and Dave Barton Herald photo Discharge planners give special care Today s Hospitalbased Discharge Planners such as Georgetown Hospitals Eunice McGowan are routinely involved in many aspects of patient care The Hospitals Discbarge Plan ning Department was established in 1990 Since that time Discharge Planning has been ac ting as a liaison for the Hospital and the community providing that allimportant link for pa tients between their hospital recovery and convalesce at home The Hospital uses a team ap proach in the Discharge Planning Program Eunice ex plains We are involved in ongo ing planning with physicians oc cupational therapists physiotherapists and nursing staff who provide us with a pa tients medical information As well the Discharge Planning assessments related to the pa tients social needs allow us to fully evaluate a patients readiness to return to the munty or a Long Term Care facility notes McGowan Understandably a variety of forms and applications Including a fivepage Assessment Form ensure that topquality patient care continues after discharge Details such as the patients medical data as well as financial concerns family housekeeping requirements and many other issues are examined all before the patient leaves the hospital There are a great many fac tors involved in ensuring the pa tient makes a smooth transition back into the community McGowan says For example a patient returning to his or her home after a lengthy hospital say may often require additional counselling in order to make the recovery complete For others with more serious illnesses perhaps alternate living ar rangements may be necessary Ultimately the same high level of patient care received in the hospital should be available to everyone once they are discharged adds Through its Discharge Plan ner the hospital taps into countless outside services in eluding Halton Helping Hands Friendly Visitor Program This service is one of many offered under the Ministry of Community and Social Services Home Sup port Program Other services in clude Meals on Wheels or transportation services Alternatively the hospital may turn to Home Care a program funded by the Ministry of Health Home Care provides additional medical care to patients in their own homes including nursing physiotherapy and occupational therapy Or perhaps a patient might simply require daily telephone checks available through the Distress Centre Whatever the case the hospital reaches out to an extensive network of community services Interwoven in her role as Discharge Planner is Eunice McGowfuVs training in social work Her experience includes physiatric nursing and phjsiatric social work at a number of large hospitals in western Canada In addition she was the acting Ex ecutive Director of Halton Help ing Hands and most recently the Director of the Home Support Program at Community Care East York Currently she is the Chairperson of the Ontario Home Support Association a 500- member agency organization GEORGETOWN DISTRICT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FROM THE STAFF OF GEORGETOWN TERMINAL WAREHOUSE AND ELLIOTTCUSTOM BROKERS ELLIOTT CUSTOM BROKERS AND STORAGE LIMITED 30 ARMSTRONG AVE GEORGETOWN CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 30th DIGIRAY INC 44 DR UNIT 3 6749955 and ANDREW MURRAY CHEVROLET OLDSMOBILE 33 Rd N GEORGETOWN 8776944