A bigger and modernized long-term care home will open in 2029 at Kelowna’s aging Cottonwoods Care Centre site.
“It’s a joint effort to rebuild Cottonwoods which is something we’ve needed to do, let’s face it, for a long time,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said on a stop in Kelowna on Friday.
Interior Health and the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District will foot the $186 million bill for the four-storey upgrade and the building located at 2255 Ethel Street will increase from the 221 beds built in 1976, to 314 beds with state-of-the art features and technology.
“The physical side of Cottonwoods needs to be replaced and improved, and that is precisely what we’re doing,” Dix said.
The model of care will also shift to something more modern. The care home will be designed with “households” accommodating 12 or 18 residents in single-bed rooms with private washrooms.
“These are people’s homes and to the extent that we can, we need to treat people like they’re at home even when they’re struggling, physically in long term care,” Dix said.
“This will give residents more personal and private space and it will create a space that feels like home. The decision to move into long-term care … is very difficult for residents and their families, in every single case, and this will make it better.”
The care home will include the social and recreational spaces found in a typical home-like environment, such as a living room, dining room, activity space and access to the outdoors. It will incorporate leading practice design features for people experiencing dementia and include culturally sensitive design elements to serve a diverse population in the community.
There will be community spaces and services for residents, families, visitors and staff, such as art and activity rooms, a hair salon, a sacred space and a 25-space adult day program for people living more independently in the community. As well, a child care space will be constructed with capacity for 37 children.
Robert Halpenny, chair of the Interior Health Board, said he viewed the announcement as “remarkable progress for seniors care in Kelowna.”
“When I was a family physician, a long, long time ago, I had many long-term care patients and friends and typically the living conditions were not what we would expect,” Halpenny said. said. “I think buildings like this and future endeavors really have made remarkable progress in our care for our most respected people in our communities.”
In addition to Cottonwoods, Dix said the redevelopment of the Mission Creek Landing long term care facility is set to open later this year.
The first phase of the redevelopment and expansion of the existing Mission Creek Landing facility will include 131 long-term care beds set to open Oct. 31, 2024.
This includes 101 existing beds that will be relocated from the current facility and 30 new beds.
Phase 2 of construction will then start with the remaining 110 new beds expected to open in late 2026, with all 110 new beds publicly funded. The facility will have a total of 241 long-term care beds.
Long-term care communities provide care and supervision for people with complex-care needs, who can no longer live safely and independently at home, through a range of services delivered by well-trained, compassionate and caring staff.