David Harnden
Post Acute Specialty Services and Surgical Services/Ambulatory Care Quality and Practice Committees, Experience Measurement Working Group, Essential Care Partner Pilot Working Group and March of Dimes Peer Support Volunteer (Integrated Stroke Program)
David has been a resident of Grafton from birth and has been married to Marlene for more than forty years. They have two children and two grandchildren. After graduating high school, David worked for a variety of building construction firms as a carpenter before starting his career in the recreation field. He worked at the hockey arenas in Colborne and Grafton. He assumed the position of arena manager at the Haldimand Memorial Arena in 1992 and held that position until November, 2014. During that time, David continued his education and earned the designation of Certified Ice Technician.
On November 13, 2014 David was admitted to the Northumberland Hills Hospital with stroke-like symptoms which were later diagnosed as an acquired brain injury due to a viral infection. He spent the next two weeks on the acute floor and then six weeks in the Rehabilitation unit. While there he experienced a caring, dedicated, respectful and compassionate staff. He did, however, have some concerns over the discharge procedures.
When the call went out from NHH for PFAC partners, he felt that this would be the perfect opportunity to not only give back to the hospital and community, but to also address some of those concerns. He has been an active PFAC partner since December 2016 bringing the perspective of lived experience to multiple programs, services and supports, including NHH’s Post Acute Specialty Services--and the Rehabilitation Unit he spent time on--as well as Surgical Services, supporting its current growth, and various other working groups. Most recently David joined the working group exploring the introduction of the Ontario Caregiver Organization's Essential Care Partner program. David was the inaugural recipient of NHH's Experience Partner Award for Exceptional Service in June 2023.
Asked what is most rewarding about PFAC service, David said: "I think two things come to mind in answering that question. The first is to think that I have in some way helped to improve the patient and families' experience with Northumberland Hills Hospital. The second rewarding part of my 'job' was when the PASS (Post-Acute Specialty Services) members told me that I was part of their team. It was an honour, and still is, to be recognized by this dedicated group of individuals."