Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH) is proposing a 40-bed facility in Olds in addition to the facilities it currently provides.
If it gets the green light, the care level provided with those beds would be higher than the organization currently provides in the community, according to MVSH chief administrative officer Sam Smalldon.
The organization is currently finalizing conceptual drawings so it can be ready if the provincial government calls for proposals for funding such facilities in this area.
Smalldon says if the government does call for proposals for the Olds area, that should occur shortly – possibly early in the new year.
MVSH floated the idea to Olds town council, although Smalldon notes MVSH officials have been discussing the idea with the town's planning department for a while.
Currently, MVSH has 89 units in Olds.
“What we're proposing is that there would be an additional 40 beds of 24-7 care, which is a higher level of care than we offer right now. We only offer home care right now,” Smalldon told the Albertan.
The level of care proposed is called supportive living level 4 and 4D, which would allow for some higher-level 24-7 care for people with dementia as well as those without that condition, much like those now available in Sundre.
Smalldon says the idea behind bringing the project to Olds council was to get council's support.
“The community needs to voice their support to the government because that facility would require provincial grant funding,” he says.
“We're working on the same concept as we did in Sundre. We built a $26 million facility and we got just under $4 million as the grant. We believe the cost of 40 beds is around $9 million, and so we'd be looking for a grant toward that $9 million,” he said.
That's just the capital cost.
Smalldon says when Alberta Health Services approves projects like this, the group awarded funding for the project gets a contract to help cover staffing costs.
“We do not charge the residents, so we're really an extension of the government as an operator in providing health care in a 24-7 facility,” Smalldon says. “It's just that we take the risk of building and operating it.”
Smalldon says it's his understanding that when it comes to seniors' care, across the province there's a shortage of about 1,000 beds a year. So he's confident there's currently a demand for 24-7 level 4 and 4D care in Olds. As the population ages, he expects that demand to remain, if not become greater.
In recent months, Premier Rachel Notley has said money is tight, thanks to the downturn in the economy, but Smalldon remains confident more projects for seniors will receive funding.
“The number of 65-year-olds is growing. The number of seniors will be growing. So the dynamics are all growing, and the demand currently has a shortage of 1,000 beds a year, and so I believe it's a priority of the government,” he says.
That's why MVSH is gearing up for an expansion.
“We're just being proactive to be ready, because when they offer a grant, you have to be ready to go. You can't be at the beginning stage,” he says.
He notes MVSH is also working on concepts for Didsbury and Carstairs.
"The number of 65-year-olds is growing. The number of seniors will be growing. So the dynamics are all growing, and the demand currently has a shortage of 1,000 beds a year, and so I believe it's a priority of the government." SAM SMALLDONCAOMOUNTAIN VIEW SENIORS' HOUSING
