Das Schwarze Brett - Issue 5

15
German Care Home
Has now signed an Agreement with Vancouver Coastal Health
Vancouver, BC – Vancouver Coastal Health has signed
an agreement with the German Canadian Benevolent
Society to rebuild and expand the German Canadian
Care Home in South Vancouver. The existing facility will
be demolished and replaced with a larger care home with
18 additional beds, for a total of 160-beds, 10 of which will
be private pay.
“The German Canadian Care Home has provided
compassionate care for decades, enriching the lives of its
residents through the many services that are provided,”
said Vancouver-Fraserview MLA Suzanne Anton. “The
new care home will make sure residents continue to
receive quality care.”
“This is a significant step in meeting the care needs of
Vancouver residents,” said Laura Case, Chief Operating
Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health. “It will enhance
residents’ privacy and the experience of care by offering
single rooms, private washrooms, outdoor terraces, and
better access for wheelchairs.”
The new facility will have several small homes within
a single building. This model is known as ‘home and
neighbourhood design’ and is considered a best practice
in residential care.
The German Canadian Benevolent Society envisions
the new care home will also provide services to seniors
living in the community, which may include adult day care,
therapeutic bathing, rehabilitation services, education for
informal care givers, and social activities that encourage
community interaction and participation. Completion is
scheduled for late 2022. Vancouver Coastal Health will
provide operational funding for the new facility.
The current care home will close in 2018 to prepare
for demolition and construction. VCH and the German
Canadian Care Home will develop comprehensive
transition plans for each resident to allow for a smooth
transition to another facility. Wherever possible,
residents will be placed in their preferred location. Staff
will also be supported during the transition.
With the signing of the agreement with the German
Canadian Benevolent Society, Vancouver Coastal
Health has completed the procurement phase of their
Regional Residential Care Rejuvenation project. It
follows a rigorous process to replace several hundred
beds in residential care centres that no longer fully
meet resident needs, and to significantly increase the
number of beds in communities that currently don’t
have an adequate supply for the population they serve.
To date, Vancouver Coastal Health has signed
agreements for 943 beds in eight new and expanded
facilities over the next six years. VCH, like many health
authorities, is planning ahead to meet the complex
residential care needs of people living in our region
who can no longer live safely at home with support.
Vancouver Coastal Health is responsible for the delivery
of $3.2 billion in community, hospital and residential
care to more than one million people in communities
including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore,
Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River,
Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
http://www.gcch.ca/our-care-home/redevelopmentproposal/
The existing care facility has been serving the community
since 1969. It includes Vancouver’s largest specialcare
unit for residents with dementia. The population
is ethnically diverse, with 30 percent of the residents of
German descent. “Although the home has served the
community well for many years, the existing facility is
outdated, with long narrow hallways and many double
rooms,” said Laura Case.
©Westcoast German News publishes Das Schwarze Brett 6 times a year