CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Construction of a new long-term care home in Corner Brook appears to be on schedule.
The Department of Transportation and Works and Western Health confirmed the long-term care home in Corner Brook is still expected to be completed in February.
The new facility, announced in 2017, will include a 15-bed palliative care unit, 10-bed rehabilitation unit, and 120 long-term care beds shared across four floors, and eight 15-bed units.
Western Health confirmed the palliative care and rehabilitation units at Western Memorial Regional Hospital will be transferred to the new facility.
“These units will increase our capacity to care for more patients than currently available at Western Memorial Regional Hospital ,” Tara Pye, Western Health's director of communications, told The Western Star via email.
Space planning is ongoing for areas of the hospital that will be vacated.
The transition into the new building will start with furniture and equipment installation and testing during the week of Feb. 17, the health authority confirmed.
Staff will then be required to complete training for the new equipment, work flows and resident care, as well as familiarization with the new space and care teams.
Staffing of the new facility will include some employees relocating from within Western Health as well as new hires from outside the organization.
Western Health anticipates the home will be ready for residents and patients this spring.
Eligibility for long-term care residential placement is determined by clinical assessment.
There are currently 59 people eligible for long-term care on the waitlist.
Individuals who will move into the facility are currently living in homes in the community, personal care homes or they could be waiting for long-term care in the hospital.
Corner Brook Care Partnership is overseeing the design, construction, financing and maintenance of the facility.
The group’s contract covers a 30-year period.
As part of the terms of contract, Corner Brook Care Partnership does not get paid for the project until construction is completed.
