A new $60-million residential-care facility in Saanich will reduce wait times for Greater Victoria seniors who struggle to get into homes that don't meet their complex needs, say 91原创 Island Health Authority officials.
Construction will begin immediately on the 260-bed complex on Carey Road and is expected to be completed in two years, according to Tuesday's joint announcement from VIHA, the Capital Regional Hospital District and Baptist Housing.
The project will go a long way to meeting demand in Greater Victoria, where VIHA estimates about 690 beds need to be replaced to properly serve the region's aging population.
"For Greater Victoria, this is very critical," said Norm Peters, VIHA's director of continuing health services contracts. "Right now, we're having lessthan-optimal choices for people."
The project, dubbed The Heights at Mount View, will add 30 new beds and replace two aging buildings in Victoria: the 147-bed Central Care Home and 83-bed Mount Edward Court. Staff at both sites regularly turn clients away because they don't have the space and equipment to provide adequate services.
Seniors and their families often have to wait up to a month - sometimes longer - to find a place in Greater Victoria facilities. Others receive more homecare services, which can cost more than having them in a home.
The Heights at Mount View will be built on Capital Regional Hospital District property and leased to the operator, Baptist Housing, for a small fee. The hospital district will also provide $18.1 million toward the project, which will reduce the debt Baptist Housing will have to incur.
Baptist will contribute $1 million toward the development and finance the rest, but VIHA will pay for the mortgage through the 25-year operating agreement. Replacing Central Care Home and Mount Edward Court has been on the radar of both Baptist Housing and VIHA for about 10 years.
"With the level of care people require today, it's very difficult to give them proper care in those outdated buildings," said Howard Johnson, president and CEO of Baptist Housing.
"Now, we can give good care in state-of-the-art buildings, which we couldn't do even if the current buildings were renovated."
The Heights at Mount View was originally part of VIHA's plan to replace about 580 beds at four facilities, including an overhaul of Oak Bay Lodge and Mount Tolmie hospital in Saanich. Oak Bay council, however, rejected the project because politicians disagreed with its design.
VIHA is working on a new plan to replace both facilities and expects to put out a request for proposals in the next few months.
