A South Surrey senior is calling on Walmart to better-train its staff to deal with disabled customers, after she says her husband was left at risk of a serious-injury fall during a recent shopping trip.

Kathleen McMahon said she and John were at the Grandview Corners Walmart Supercentre (2355 160 St.) on April 20 when a security guard made John use a shopping cart for support while McMahon was fetching their van from the parking lot.

John, 79, has balance issues due to Parkinson害羞草研究所檚 disease, and Kathleen had left him waiting just outside the exit 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渆xactly the same spot that I always do害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� in the store害羞草研究所檚 courtesy wheelchair, which he had used throughout the half hour they害羞草研究所檇 spent shopping in the store.

When she returned a few minutes later, however, she was shocked to find him standing, clutching a shopping cart to steady himself.

害羞草研究所淭he look on his face was one of pure terror,害羞草研究所� Kathleen said.

害羞草研究所淗is legs, because of the Parkinson害羞草研究所檚, the thighs freeze up. There害羞草研究所檚 no warning. He can just fall, and has done many times,害羞草研究所� she explained.

害羞草研究所淗e was hanging on for dear life.害羞草研究所�

Peace Arch News has not yet received a response from Walmart to a request for comment.

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The company reportedly told television news that they were looking into the incident and would be reaching out to the McMahons.

However, Kathleen says she害羞草研究所檚 heard 害羞草研究所渘ot a peep害羞草研究所� from the store manager, nor anyone at the corporate level 害羞草研究所� both of which were left messages on the day of the incident.

害羞草研究所淚 would害羞草研究所檝e at least liked to have heard that they are looking into it and they would get back to me,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭hey haven害羞草研究所檛 even done that.害羞草研究所�

Kathleen said she did make a point of speaking to the security guard at the time, but says the response she got there 害羞草研究所渄id nothing to alleviate the anger that I felt.害羞草研究所�

The employee simply confirmed that she害羞草研究所檇 taken the wheelchair from John 害羞草研究所� who also has Alzheimer害羞草研究所檚 disease 害羞草研究所� and said store policy prohibits them being taken out of the store.

If that was the case, 害羞草研究所渢here are many ways that she could害羞草研究所檝e handled that situation,害羞草研究所� Kathleen said.

害羞草研究所淭he one she chose was irresponsible, reckless. To take a wheelchair from a handicapped person is irresponsible.害羞草研究所�

Kathleen said her husband holds no animosity over what happened, and said she is not looking for financial compensation from Walmart 害羞草研究所� although she would most certainly have sued had John fallen that day.

She went public with the experience because she害羞草研究所檚 confident it wasn害羞草研究所檛 the first time something like that has happened, and 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 like it to stop.害羞草研究所�

She害羞草研究所檇 like to see a policy put together and education for staff so it 害羞草研究所渘ever happens again.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲hen something that is wrong on so many levels happens, I believe that it害羞草研究所檚 important to speak out,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 will not stand for this kind of behaviour. It害羞草研究所檚 just not right.害羞草研究所�