December 16, 2015
Province Announces New, 120-bed Personal Care Home to be Built in South Winnipeg
A new, 120-bed personal care home in south Winnipeg will provide quality care for Manitobans and increase capacity in the system, Health Minister Sharon Blady announced today.
“The projected growth in the senior population over the next five years is expected to increase pressure on the long-term care system,” said Minister Blady. “This new facility will help build capacity while ensuring quality care is available for those who need it most.”
Personal care homes are designed for individuals who can no longer safely remain at home or in supportive housing and require 24-hour nursing care. The new facility will be located in the Bridgwater neighbourhood on Bridge Lake Drive at South Town Road.
“Providing long-term care to Winnipeggers extends beyond focusing solely on health needs,” said Gina Trinidad, chief operating officer, long-term care, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. “The new Bridgwater Personal Care Home will use a resident-centred model of care in an innovative, small home-like environment.”
Winnipeg Mennonite Seniors Care Inc. has purchased the land and will operate the new facility, which will include individual resident rooms with private washrooms, recreational activity areas, family space and landscaped grounds.
“We’re very excited about this project and to implement a new model of care,” said Albert Friesen, past chair, Winnipeg Mennonite Seniors Care Inc., and lead on the Bridgwater project. “The Bridgwater model incorporates evidenced-based design to provide a more meaningful quality of life for our residents. This approach aims at bringing purpose back into their familiar and daily routines that focus on community and family by promoting opportunities for greater independence, freedom of choice, better socialization, easier navigation and better cognitive function.”
There are 125 personal care homes in the province including the 80-bed Heritage Life personal care home in Niverville, which opened in 2013. In Winnipeg, 38 personal care homes provide care to more than 5,700 people. Provincewide, more than 9,700 people receive care in a personal care home.
The minister noted construction could start on a major, 41-bed expansion to the Holy Family Home in north Winnipeg as early as the spring of 2016 and that construction is progressing on a new 100-bed personal care home in Morden. Planning is also underway for a new 80-bed personal care home in Lac du Bonnet.
"We know that as the province’s population gets older, we must have the right resources available to provide the right care in the right place,” said Minister Blady. “This new facility will increase the number of personal care beds available for Manitobans who need high levels of care.”
The minister noted the addition of new spaces to the system supports the implementation of Advancing Continuing Care: A Blueprint to Support System Change. Introduced in 2014, the five-year plan identifies seven areas for action including ensuring there are enough long-term care beds to meet the needs of Manitobans.
For more information on the blueprint and the work underway to implement changes to the long-term health-care system, visit www.gov.mb.ca/health/blueprint.html.
Work on the design of the new facility continues and construction could start before the end of 2016, Minister Blady said.
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