Villa to be assessed for replacement

By Michael Gorman

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

The Vanguard has learned that Villa Saint Joseph-du-Lac will be included in a province-wide assessment to determine the next list of long-term care facilities to be replaced.

A copy of a memo the Villa's administrator, Rick Atkinson, sent to staff arrived at The Vanguard's office last week. In the memo Atkinson informs staff of word from the Department of Health that they are to be included in the next round of assessments. The memo quotes a letter from Minister of Health Chris d'Entremont that says:

"The Department of Health is pleased to inform you that Villa Saint Joseph-du-Lac will be included in a province wide program to assess selected long-term care facilities to identify homes in need of replacement. We will be engaging a team to conduct these assessments. At this time we do not have a firm start date to begin the assessment process but feel confident that the team will be in place within three to six months."

Although he was disappointed to hear that a staff memo was leaked, Atkinson said the news from the department is exciting and encouraging.

"We're certainly ecstatic about it," he said.

Atkinson said staff at the Villa has worked hard to do the best they can with the aging facility. The Villa was built in 1930 as a hotel and many years since is still structurally sound. However in a time of changing standards and practices in the health care field, Atkinson said the building is past its point of usefulness.

"Government certainly knows and is well aware of our interest in a new facility," he said. "The care required for the residents of today is greater than ever. We're doing the best we can with what we have, but compared to other facilities we're certainly lacking.

"With the new plans brought forth by (the department) for how the new homes are going to look, meaning one level — I mean, wow, that would be a dream come true."

D'Entremont wasn't certain how many facilities would be up for assessment, however the last round of assessments started with nine long-term care facilities and he suspected it would be the same this time.

Once assessments are completed, d'Entremont said a final list would be created and presented to cabinet for final approval on which will be the homes to be replaced. D'Entremont said assessments would include taking into consideration the structural integrity of the facilities and the ways in which the buildings help or hurt services that can be offered.

It is his intension, said d'Entremont, that the Villa be on that final list.

"I've been to a lot of facilities that have been in much better shape than the Villa and I've seen a couple that have been in worse shape than the Villa, but I can't see how it would not be included in the next round (of facilities to be replaced)."

Meanwhile, as renovations continue at the Villa, d'Entremont said the department has received approval from the fire marshall's office to add nine beds back to the facility, bringing the present total to 55.