New 96-Room Long-Term Care Facility.

Seniors in the Tatamagouche area in need of long-term care will have access to modern spaces with the replacement of Willow Lodge home for special care.

The new 96-room facility, scheduled to open in 2031, will provide care to 35 more seniors living in the area. Each resident will have their own room and private washroom.

Tom Taggart, MLA for Colchester North, on behalf of Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams, made the announcement today, December 6, at Willow Lodge.

“It’s an honour to be a part of government’s plan to invest in long-term care,” said Mr. Taggart. “This is great news for the people of Tatamagouche and our neighbouring communities. These new care rooms will bring ease and comfort to our loved ones and reduce pressures on our hospitals, helping to improve healthcare for everyone.”

The new home is part of the recent addition of 2,200 rooms to the Province’s long-term care infrastructure plan. This plan expansion includes new long-term care homes that will add about 800 rooms to the long-term care system and the replacement of older homes with new, modern facilities that will have about 1,400 rooms. All these new homes are expected to be ready by 2032. The original plan included homes with about 3,500 rooms expected to be ready by 2027. Together, these new spaces will help to meet the care needs of the province’s aging population.

All new living spaces will be single rooms, each with its own private washroom. The government is contracting with several long-term care providers for new facilities and to replace existing ones.

Information and progress updates on all 5,700 rooms are available at: https://novascotia.ca/long-term-care-rooms-progress-updates/

Building and improving more long-term care rooms is part of Action for Health, the Province’s strategic plan to improve healthcare. Building and renovating new facilities with single-bed rooms and ensuring seniors live with dignity and can age well are also commitments in the Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister’s mandate.

Quotes:

We are excited with the news of receiving a new, modern and efficient resident-centred home. This announcement is a testimony of respect, not only for our Willow Lodge residents but our care partners who deliver optimum care, and the community at large. We appreciate all the hard work that has gone into making this necessary commitment to ensuring our seniors are receiving their due respect today and into the future.Janine Jaconelli, Executive Director, Willow Lodge

Quick Facts:

• the long-term care infrastructure plan was announced in January
• current wait lists for long-term care spots vary across the province; as of November 15, there were just over 1,700 people waiting at home for placement in long-term care
• of those waiting at home, more than 70 per cent receive home care
• seniors make up close to 22 per cent of Nova Scotia’s population; this is expected to climb to more than 25 per cent by 2032
• the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment, Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care, and the continuing care sector are working together to recruit the staff needed to support the delivery of care that will be required for these new rooms

Source : Release