The Citizen, 1996-07-10, Page 11Doctor in the home
Dr Mark Woldnik has been officially named director of
medicine at Huronlea, the county home for the aged,
located in Morris Twp., at the south edge of Brussels.
Woldnik is also director at the sister home Huronview in
Tuckersmith Twp. and at Seaforth Manor.
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THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1996 PAGE 11.
Physician oversees health care at 3 nursing homes
From agriculture student to
farmer to bus driver then teacher,
Jim Armstrong of Brussels fol-
lowed an interesting path to his 30
years of teaching junior high school
science.
Armstrong never intended to
teach, rather working the family
farm in Grey Twp. However, after
acquiring a bus driving job for
Grey Central Public School when it
opened in 1966, Armstrong soon
realized he got along well with the
students and had as much education
as the teachers.
He was hired to teach science at
the high school in Chesley strictly
on a meeting with the principal. He
At the June 24 session of Morris
Twp. council, it was agreed to take
responsibility for dimensions of a
new culvert being installed at Lot
28, Conc. 9.
According to Ministry of Trans-
portation bridge code standards, the
soffit clearance for a culvert is 300
mm or 12 inches. Council agreed to
the installation of a culvert with
only 100 mm clearance, on the rec-
ommendation of A. Ross of B.M.
Ross and Associates. Ltd. The
municipality will accept full liabili-
ty arising from use of the structure.
Road work will be done at
Sideroad 5/6, Conc. 10 and Conc.
1/2 and Sideroad 20/21, Conc. 8/9.
There was no objection to the
purchase of a new furnace/air con-
ditioning unit for Blyth Community
Centre auditorium, if funds were
available in the budget.
Council granted $50 to both the
Salvation Army and Huron Plow-
men's Association.
In an earlier meeting, council
passed several bylaws including
one which authorized the road clo-
sure of Lot 16, Conc. 1 to Lot 8,
Conc. 2 and Lot 5. Conc. 2. These
closures are subject to necessary
approvals being received.
A bylaw was passed to authorize
an agreement of the demolition of a
had no resume or interview.
Two years later Armstrong
moved to Mitchell District High
School where he spent the next 28
years of his career.
Armstrong says he always taught
junior science because of his farm
background and the experiences
which could be related to the
course.
One component of his teaching
method was to incorporate simple,
everyday occurrences in the teach-
ings to make it more understand-
able for the students.
"I always tried to come up with
new and different ways of getting
the point across to the students," he
barn foundation at Lot 2, Conc. 5.
The Holding Provision was also
removed from the property, effec-
tive immediately.
The tender submitted by W.G.
Kelley Construction, Mitchell, for
the removal of the former CNR
bridge, was accepted at $13,690,
plus taxes.
The Bill King fire call bill of
$300 will be paid by the township.
Council sent a letter to Minister
of Education John Snobelen stat-
ing: council is opposed to the col-
lection of education taxes from our
ratepayers due to the fact that
council has no control over the
By Bonnie Gropp
Dr. Mark Woldnik assumed the
position of medical director at
Huronlea, Brussels, a three-year
term, on July 1.
The 38-year-old physician
replaced Dr. MacGregor.
Woldnik, who is also director at
Huronview and Seaforth Manor, as
well as Chief of Staff at Seaforth
hospital, says his role as director is
primarily one of manager/co-ordi-
nator. He has developed an interest
in geriatrics since graduating from
medical school and through his
training and practice of family
medicine.
After doing his undergraduate
work at Queen's, he went on to the
University of Saskatchewan to train
in family medicine. He came to .
Seaforth in 1990 and now resides in
Harper Hay with his wife and three
children.
In Seaforth he noticed his prac-
tice taking a certain direction. "As
(local) physicians retired I started
getting a number of older patients."
Also, Woldnik said, as chief of
staff at the hospital he has tried to
create a more client-centred team
approach way of thinking, which he
brings with him to his new appoint-
ment. "The two go hand in hand.
When the focus is the patients it's
good to have a team approach from
everyone through caregivers to
administration. I think it increases
says.
Not only will Armstrong's
method of teaching be remembered
by the many students who passed
through his classroom, but his
interesting mode of travel for arriv-
ing on the job each day.
In the spring and fall, Armstrong
took his Pietenpol Air Camper air-
plane out of its hanger, checked it
over, revved it up and made the 20-
minute flight to Mitchell.
An airstrip was rented from a
neighbouring farmer for Arm-
strong's landing and from there it
was a pleasant walk to the school.
Armstrong's interest in.planes
began when he was just five, hav-
budget process and the increase in
the education levy. It was also
requested that legislation be enact-
ed that recognizes that education is
not a service to property and pro-
vides a system of funding for edu-
cation that is fair and equitable to
all citizens of the province.
Carter Disposal began curbside
garbage pickup on the edges of
Brussels, July 3. All landowners
were notified about the $60 service.
Road and general accounts, in the
amount of $153,745.76 and
$44,596.45 were approved for pay-
ment.
self-esteem, of the way people view
their job."
Woldnik's interest in geriatrics
really began to form after his father
endured a lengthy illness recently.
He decided last year to pursue fur-
ther training, going back to Queen's
for a Clinical Traineeship with a
focus on geriatrics, but which also
studied the team model.
"What's happening in geriatrics
now is that it is changing. Geri-
atrics used to be people over 65,
now it's 85. The largest part of the
population is getting older, yet
there aren't that many geriatri-
cians."
Woldnik said that medical prob-
lems are only part of the work
involved in geriatrics. "There are
other issues that are better handled
by others."
"I do believe in a team approach.
As this concept spreads they need
someone to co-ordinate the bigger
,,picture. The needs of an individual
'are better served if there is some-
one there who is not just focused
on a specific area."
The second focus of geriatrics, he
said, is to increase the level of care
in nursing homes. "The reasons are
obvious. These people are intoler-
ant of change. If you can adminis-
ter care here, you should."
Woldnik, as principle physician
at the home, has privileges at all the
county hospitals excluding Exeter,
ing spotted a craft flying over the
farm. It was 10 years later when he
took to the skies for the first time,
with a barnstormer.
His fascination with aircraft per-
sisted, bringing a pilot's license in
1951, at the age of 20.
Armstrong continues to pursue
his flying hobby. He, along with
his three sons, own six planes
which are either flying, stored or in
the process of being rebuilt.
His latest adventure has been
with hangliding, which he tried for
the first time a few weeks ago.
with the exception of admitting
privileges because, "that's the law
of the land."
Noting his desire to see the estab-
lishment of a family medicine resi-
dency program with a focus on
geriatrics in the county, Woldnik
said he will probably be pursuing
more training in the future. Geri-
atrics, he said, is not just family
medicine, it's a specialty. "With the
aging population we have to focus
on different issues. We can't treat
everyone as if their problems are
the same as everyone else's."
From his mother, wlio was a
nurse, Woldnik learned that the
doctor is not necessarily the one
with all the answers. "I saw her
make diagnoses. Everyone from the
nurses down to the nurse's aids are
often the ones to pick up problems
with a patient."
While Woldnik is the chief
physician at Huronlea, he stresses
that residents or their families can
request another physician.
With his hectic schedule; he is
also involved in the Geriatrics Out-
reach Program; Woldnik is obvi-
ously not able to be everywhere all
the time. The team approach, how-
ever, is set up so that it allows him
to be away, without any disruption.
"Things get done. After all, they do
call them nursing homes, not doc-
tor homes."
The staff and students of MDHS
who wish Armstrong a long and
happy retirement, may witness his
love of air craft. He presented each
with an invitation and directions to
his farm, as well as handing out
cards to all former students at a
recent all-years reunion for the
school.
In keeping with his daily tradi-
tion throughout his long teaching
career, Armstrong's "Thought of
the Day" for his final day was: It
has been simply awesome teaching
here for 28 years."
Morris council closes roads
Area science teacher retires after 30- year career
ONTARIO DRUG BENEFITS
IMPORTANT News for Seniors and
People Receiving Social Assistance
Because the federal government has reduced transfer
payments for Ontario's health and social services by
$2.1 billion over the next two years, the Ontario government
must act now to preserve its drug programs.
Starting July 15, Ontario Drug Benefit recipients will contribute
a small amount toward their prescription costs. Ontario is the
last province to introduce co-payments.
How much you pay depends on your income. You will pay up
to $2 per prescription if you are:
• single, 65 or over, with a net income of
less than $16,018 per year
• a couple, both over 65, with a combined
net income of less than $24,175 per year
• living in a nursing home, home for the aged
or home for special care
• receiving welfare or family benefits
• receiving home care
You're 65 and your income is higher than the above? Then
you pay the first $100 of your drug costs each year. After
that, you'll pay only the ODB dispensing fee of up to $6.1 1
per prescription.
You have extra health insurance from a private company?
Call your company. It may cover co-payment costs.
Call the Ministry of Health at 1-888-405-0405 if you have
more questions. Or look for information sheets at your
pharmacy.
0 Ontario