By the fall, Providence Care says it will have several more beds for patients who need time and care to transition out of the hospital.
The 30-bed unit will be housed in the hospital’s Gibson Wing at 340 Union Street, and will begin to gradually accept patients Oct. 4. The hospital’s new transitional care centre will host a total of 64 beds across two units when fully complete.
The beds are meant to serve those who “no longer need acute care, but need a bit more support before they go back home,” said Laurie French, the hospital’s regional director.
“Transitional care aims to provide the right level of care for individuals to strengthen and regain their functionality. It also supports their move back to the community or another level of care, so they’re best prepared for success,” she said.
The units will also offer restorative care, cognitive behavioral support, short-stay respite for family members of those being cared for at the hospital and convalescent care.
With construction officially complete, the hospital says it is currently training teams to operate the site while it’s being prepared to open.
The new unit is thanks to funding from the Ministry of Health, but Providence Care says the figure given has to be made public. The funding is part of an initiative to add 200 transitional beds across the province, the hospital said.
The opening of the second unit, with 34 beds, will be contingent on staff, the hospital says.
“Like many healthcare organizations in the region and across the country, we experienced significant staffing and recruitment challenges over the last year. But we’re actively recruiting new staff so we can get the second unit open as soon as possible,” a statement from the hospital said.
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