KAWARTHA LAKES-The Ontario government says it is investing in 80 new long-term care projects including one in Lindsay.
Extendicare Lindsay is being allocated 96 new spaces and 64 upgraded spaces. This project will result in a 160-bed home in Lindsay according to the province.
“This is exciting news for Kawartha Lakes, not only will this expansion help address hallway healthcare, it will also assist the growing number of people needing long-term care over the next decade,” said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. “Today’s announcement will help ensure we have safe, modern spaces ready for them.”
In addition to modernizing the long-term care sector, these projects will help reduce waitlists and end hallway medicine. Province-wide, these investments also support key government priorities, including eliminating three and four bed ward rooms, creating campuses of care and providing new spaces for Indigenous, Francophone and other cultural community residents.
“Today’s announcement means that we can move forward with our plan to add capacity at Extendicare Kawartha Lakes and take action to address the home’s long-standing waitlist for new admissions throughout the Kawartha region. This new project will offer an additional 96 seniors in our community with the care they need, in new care spaces constructed to modern design standards, resulting in increased resident privacy and quality of life. We thank Minister Scott and the Government of Ontario for making the future of long-term care a priority in this province. ” Nancy Rooney, Administrator, Extendicare Kawartha Lakes.
As of December 2020, more than 40,000 people across Ontario were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed.
“Our loved ones in long-term care deserve a comfortable, modern place to live, near family and friends, with the support they need when they need it,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care. “These new and upgraded spaces, built to modern design standards, will help prevent and contain the transmission of infectious diseases and ensure residents have access to the care they need in a safe and secure environment.”
Criteria for selecting the projects being announced today included:
- Upgrading older homes in response to lessons learned around improved Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures, particularly the elimination of three and four-bedrooms;
- Adding spaces to areas where there is high need;
- Addressing the growing needs of diverse groups, including Francophone and Indigenous communities; and/or,
- Promoting campuses of care to better address the specialized care needs of residents.
