Ground has been broken on a new 143-bed personal care home expansion in Steinbach that will ensure more seniors living in or near the community will have access to 24-hour supervision and nursing support when they need it.
“The expansion of the Rest Haven personal care home reflects our government’s commitment to providing seniors and all Manitobans with the consistent, reliable services they need, when and where they need them,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen, who participated in a sod-turning event at the construction site. “Adding personal care home spaces in Steinbach will provide senior citizens in this community with the appropriate, focused care they need.”
The new facility, expected to be complete by 2021, will include resident rooms with private washrooms and showers in clusters of 11 or 12. Each cluster will have a large gathering space, a smaller private lounge area, a dining area and an activity space. The new facility will also include maintenance, laundry and housekeeping service areas, storage, offices, staff areas and exterior patios, walkways and parking.
“Today marks the beginning of a reality envisioned by community partners over the decades, to carry forward the tradition of care excellence into newly constructed, resident-focused facilities for those requiring personal care services,” said David Driedger, chief executive officer, HavenGroup. “HavenGroup is appreciative of the collaborative effort of all parties in aligning health system transformation with growing service needs in Steinbach and its surrounding area.”
The current Rest Haven personal care home in Steinbach has 60 beds and was built in 1984. The new facility is being constructed next to the existing building and the 86-suite Woodhaven Manor elderly persons housing building. The current personal care home will be renovated to provide support space.
“Families waiting on long-term care for their loved ones are in need of more personal care home spaces,” said Jane Curtis, chief executive officer, Southern Health-Santé Sud. “People in Steinbach and its surrounding communities were eager to break ground on this much anticipated project at Rest Haven. This new space will allow more people to stay closer to home for long-term personal care. We look forward to joining our project partners and the Manitoba government in welcoming families and residents to this neighbourhood-minded community of holistic, long-term, personal care.”
Construction of the new facility supports the provincial government’s commitment to open 1,200 new personal care home beds by 2025, Friesen noted.
The Manitoba government will fund the majority of the project, with the support of HavenGroup, which is contributing $7 million. Final project costs are subject to the tendering process.
