HALIFAX: Nova Scotia will add 500 new beds in the long-term care system and is following through on commitments to build or renovate facilities across the province.
The 500 beds are in addition to more than 2,000 new or improved beds already in progress at 27 facilities. When complete, these construction projects will create or improve more than 2,800 beds across the province, exceeding the government’s goal of building or renovating 2,500 beds over three years.
“Our seniors deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and to have the right supports in place as they age,” said Premier Tim Houston. “The investments we are making will ensure older Nova Scotians have access to modern facilities when they need them and a skilled workforce to care for them.”
Northwood in Fall River, which is part of the proposed Carr Farm Development, is among the 27 projects currently under development.
The 500 new long-term care beds will be built in Halifax Regional Municipality. A request for qualified suppliers was issued today, February 7, to determine who will be eligible to build the facilities.
The 27 previously approved long-term care projects are at various stages of development, and the first facilities will open in 2023.
“Nova Scotians have to wait far too long to get into a long-term care facility and part of the solution is building more single-bed rooms and staffing them properly,” said Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams. “Almost 2,000 people need a place in long-term care, and hundreds of them are waiting in a hospital. We need to make sure people get the care they need, and hospital beds are available for people who need them. With an aging population that is amongst the oldest in Canada, the need for this investment is even more urgent.”
Investing in long-term care facilities is another step in the Province’s plan to provide additional support to the continuing care sector. The projects generate billions of dollars of economic impact across the province. These investments will also create thousands of jobs in engineering, construction and healthcare.
Quotes:
“Today’s announced investments in infrastructure and related resources is very positive news for those who live and work in long-term care. Building new or renovating existing facilities to meet current design standards, including single rooms, will promote improved, safe care and enhance residents’ quality of life.”
– Mary Lee, President and CEO, Health Association Nova Scotia
“Northwood is thrilled to be a part of this incredible investment in long-term care. The planning for a state-of-the-art facility in Fall River is underway. This new facility will provide a home for 144 individuals and will be a part of a larger campus that will support seniors and the community to live more. The Shoreham Village Facility in Chester will also be undergoing a complete transformation. In addition to the investment to improve living spaces for the existing 89 residents, the new facility will have a total of 96 beds to better serve the community.”
– Janet Simm, President and CEO, Northwood
Quick Facts:
— as of today, February 7, there are 1,936 people on the long-term care waitlist, with 333 waiting in hospital
— about 7,500 Nova Scotians live in a long-term care facility
— more than 21 per cent of Nova Scotia’s population is over 65 years old, the third-highest percentage in the country
Additional Resources:
More information on the request for qualified suppliers is available at: https://procurement.novascotia.ca/tender-details.aspx?id=DOC886065400
List of approved projects:
— Mahone in Mahone Bay
— Villa Acadienne, Meteghan
— Kiknu Long-Term Care Facility, Eskasoni
— Taigh Solas, North Sydney
— Waterford Heights, New Waterford
— Grandview Manor, Berwick
— Mountain Lea Lodge, Bridgetown
— Shoreham Village, Chester Basin
— Northwood, Fall River
— The Birches, Musquodoboit Harbour
— Foyer Pere Fiset, Cheticamp
— R.C. MacGillivray Guest Home, Sydney
— Queens Manor/Hillsview Acres, Liverpool
— Dykeland Lodge, Windsor
— Carefield Guest Home/Dominion Guest Home, Glace Bay
— Harbour View Haven, Lunenburg
— Wolfville Nursing Home, Wolfville
— Gables Lodge, Amherst
— Melville Lodge, Halifax
— Glen Haven, New Glasgow
— Victoria Haven, Glace Bay
— R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home, Antigonish
— Valley View Villa, Stellarton
— Highland Manor, Neils Harbour
— St. Anne’s Community and Nursing Care Centre, Arichat
— Roseway Nursing Home, Shelburne
— Maple Hill Manor, New Waterford
