Vantage West Development president Peter Allan was smiling last Tuesday, as Mary Anne Jablonski, MLA for Red Deer North, announced that the company was getting a $5.35-million grant through the Affordable Supportive Living Initiative program to add 60 additional spaces at Sunrise Village.
“Olds was selected because of the great need that is here. We have assisted living level 3 beds but we needed supported living level 4,” said Jablonski.
“Olds was one of nine projects that were selected.”
Vantage West Development expects to start construction next summer, with the new beds being ready for occupancy by December 2013.
Sunrise Village has a waiting list of more than 100 people, Allan said.
“We are very happy to receive this grant for Olds. We are bringing a new service to the area,” he said.
“We are bringing in 60 supported living level 4 beds and 20 of those will be set up for dementia.”
The dementia beds will be in a secure unit, and patients will have access to an outdoor enclosed garden.
The rest of the level 4 beds, which will be for seniors and persons with disabilities, will look nothing like hospital rooms, said Jablonski.
“Some of them will be like bachelor suites. Depending on the level of care and the needs, the patients might even be capable a plugging in a kettle so that they can have a cup of tea and toast,” she explained.
“That might seem simple and small, but it is a big thing when you are living in a place where you are dependent on others.”
She believes that even though supportive living level 4 patients cannot live at home independently anymore, they should still be encouraged to be as independent as possible.
“We know that the more we can do for ourselves, the happier we are,” said Jablonski.
“It provides for a better quality of life when we treat people just like they need care, not like they are ill.”
As the former minister of Seniors and Community Supports, Jablonski still keeps herself involved by being the chair of the seniors continuing care centres committee.
“Every day in Alberta, 75 people turn age 65 in Alberta. We have about 2,000 new seniors every month in Alberta,” said Jablonski.
“We have a fast-growing population of seniors. We know that we need to be there and care for them.”
For Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Richard Marz, the funding announcement meant he could cross the grant off his to-do list before his retirement from politics next year.
“The Olds project is one of nine out of 60 applications,” he said.
“I felt confident that the need was here, in the area. Olds serves more than just the town boundaries.”
Marz will continue working on securing grants for other seniors care centres and facilities in his riding until he retires.
“Hopefully, my replacement will see it as a priority as well. I am confident that they will,” he said.
