Health and Community Services
Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
July 9, 2010
New Long-Term Care Home
Officially Opens in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Enhancing and strengthening the long-term
care system remains a priority for the Provincial Government and is
evident with the opening of a new long-term care home in the province.
The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community
Services, officially opened the new long-term care home in Happy
Valley-Goose Bay today. Minister Kennedy was joined by the Honourable
John Hickey, Minister of Labrador Affairs; the Honourable Patty Pottle,
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs; and, Boyd Rowe, CEO, Labrador-Grenfell
Health.
"As we work towards the development of a
new long-term care and community support services strategy, our
government has continued to invest in new long-term care facilities
throughout the province where we recognized and worked to address an
immediate need," said Minister Kennedy. "This beautiful new facility
will provide residents with a comfortable home environment and will
allow staff to continue to provide quality care with the benefit of
modern amenities."
The one-level, 50-bed long-term care
facility is adjacent to the Labrador Health Centre and features four
wings, one of which is a 13-bed protective care unit for dementia care
patients. The facility also has a chapel, which converts to a
multi-purpose room, and a rehabilitation room. Residents of the Paddon
Home moved into the new long-term care home on June 29, 2010.
"This is an historic day for the delivery
of health care in Labrador," said Minister Hickey. "The opening of this
long-term care home fulfills a commitment contained in the
Northern
Strategic Plan
and gives firm support to the plan's health care
themes of better access to programs and services and improved
infrastructure."
"In the past, Aboriginal people in
Labrador who required long-term care involving protective care have
found themselves far removed from their communities, cultures and
traditions," said Minister Pottle. "This long-term care home will enable
residents to live in comfortable, more familiar surroundings closer to
family and friends."
"As in other parts of the province, our
population in this region is aging and our ability to meet their unique
health care needs continues to grow," said Boyd Rowe. "We are very
pleased that our government has also recognized this need. Through
government's investment, this new building will allow us to provide
quality long-term care for Labrador residents, through a modern
facility, designed and equipped to provide the best care possible."
The new facility in Happy Valley-Goose
Bay is one of several initiatives the Provincial Government is
undertaking to enhance long-term care services in the province. In May
2010, the Provincial Government officially turned the sod on the site of
the new Lewisporte Health Centre, which once constructed will include
long-term care beds and a dementia care bungalow. In addition, a new
236-bed long-term care home in Corner Brook was officially opened in
June 2010.
The Williams Government's significant
investments in long-term care in Budget 2010:
The Right Investments —
For Our Children and Our Future
include $27.3 million for the
continued development of two new long-term care facilities in St. John's
and $4 million to start construction on a new 250-bed long-term care
facility in Carbonear. Approximately $1.7 million will be invested in a
new protective care community residence in Bonavista, with specialized
care and accommodations for individuals with mild to moderate dementia.
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Media contacts:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-2646
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca
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John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
709-729-1674, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca
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Alison Dower
Regional Director of Communications
Labrador-Grenfell Health
709-454-0128, 454-1205
alison.dower@lghealth.ca
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2010 07 09
11:40 a.m.
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