Health and Community Services
August 4, 2010
Redevelopment of Grand
Bank Long-Term Care Facility Completed
Residents and staff at Blue Crest Nursing
Home, a 61-bed residential long-term care facility in Grand Bank, today
celebrated the completion of an extensive $6.5 million renovation
project. On behalf of the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health
and Community Services, the Honourable Darin King, MHA for Grand Bank,
was joined at the celebration by Vickie Kaminski, President and CEO,
Eastern Health; and, Darrell LaFosse, Mayor of Grand Bank.
"This newly renovated long-term care
facility further demonstrates our government's unwavering commitment to
enhancing and strengthening long-term care supports and services
throughout the province," said Minister Kennedy. "The overall
renovations to this facility, most recently the overhaul and
modernization of the kitchen, will go a long way to providing an updated
and more comfortable facility for all the residents who call this place
home."
This project was carried out over the
past three years and consisted of exterior and interior upgrades,
including the replacement of windows and doors, modifications to
resident washrooms, new water supply, drainage, and sprinkler systems
along with upgrades to the electrical, mechanical, ventilation and
emergency power systems. Budget 2009 provided $1.1 million to the Blue
Crest Nursing Home for the redevelopment of the kitchen and completion
of renovations and in Budget 2010 an additional $502,000 was allocated
to complete roof repairs on the facility.
"This is great news for the people of
Grand Bank and the entire Burin Peninsula who are served by Blue Crest
Nursing Home," said Minister King. "These extensive renovations and
funding for the roof repairs continues to demonstrate our government's
commitment to healthcare in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, and I am
pleased that the latest enhancements to Blue Crest Nursing Home will
improve the conditions for both the residents and staff."
Minister King also visited the U.S.
Memorial Health Centre in St. Lawrence today to announce approximately
$250,000, which has been allocated over the last two budgets, for new
capital equipment including a new x-ray machine, a bathing system and
electrical upgrades. This facility has 40 long-term care beds and
provides primary acute care, emergency and diagnostic services.
An additional $55,000 was also announced
today for the Grand Bank Health Care Centre for the purchase of two
patient lifts and a bathing system.
"We are very pleased with the investments
made by government," said Vickie Kaminski. "This funding has enabled us
to enhance the services we provide to the residents who call Blue Crest
their home, as well as helping us to ensure we are providing the best
possible health care services at U.S. Memorial in St. Lawrence."
The Provincial 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; $8 million to begin construction of a new long-term care
facility in Lewisporte; $4 million to start construction of a 250-bed
long-term care home in Carbonear; $3 million to complete the new Corner
Brook long-term care facility; $2.1 million to finalize the long-term
care home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay; approximately $1.7 million for a
new protective care community residence in Bonavista, with specialized
care and accommodations for individuals with mild to moderate dementia;
approximately $115,000 to hire a full-time nurse practitioner to help
provide continuous care to residents living in long-term care facilities
in Burin; and, $110,100 to improve access to physiotherapy services in
Grand Bank.
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Media contact:
2010 08 04
3:35 p.m.
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