COMOX VALLEY, B.C. — The British Columbia government is teaming up with Island Health and the Providence Residential and Community Care (PRCC) Services Society to build a facility in the Comox Valley for seniors suffering from dementia.
The “dementia village” will be built on the site of the existing St. Joseph’s Hospital, a 17-acre site that currently has a residential care home called The Views and the former St. Joseph’s General acute care hospital, which was vacated with the opening of the new North Island Hospital.
Transfer of ownership and operations of the 117-bed care home and four hospice beds to PRCC will take place in the spring.
The “Dutch model” for senior care, modelled after a dementia village in De Hogeweyk, Netherlands will be the template for the Comox Valley facility. Features include smaller households for seniors sharing a bond with one another and will be designed to allow residents to go outside as much as they prefer.
“PRCC’s goal is to create vibrancy and an authentic sense of community with amenities that are actual destinations and points of interest for people and their families to enjoy, including a grocery store, pub, and music room,” a PRCC release stated.
The Comox dementia village, the release stated, is one part of a master site plan which will be honed “into specifics through engagement, consultation and working with stakeholders, partners and the community.”
The village is also part of a provincial senior-care strategy for the region announced in late January by the B.C. government.
“Our government is taking action to make sure the needs of frail, elderly seniors with complex conditions are met across the region. In conjunction with our action plan to increase direct-care hours, we are expanding the availability of residential and dementia care in the Comox Valley,” said B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix in a statement.
“This is a visionary commitment by the Ministry of Health and Island Health to partner with Providence in bringing innovative dementia care and seniors care solutions to Comox. Our planned redevelopment at The Views will provide home-like environments and care that enable stronger emotional connections with the people we serve and help address growing needs for the community,” PRCC president and CEO Fiona Dalton added.
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