May 29, 2014
SLAVE LAKE – Construction is underway on a new designated supportive living facility that will help meet the care needs of local seniors.
Points West Living will add 53 net-new living spaces to the community. AHS will be contracting 45 of these spaces for designated supportive living, where seniors get support for their health and personal needs in a home-like environment. The remaining eight net-new spaces will provide independent living. Points West Living will become the first facility in Slave Lake to offer several levels of seniors care under one roof.
“Seniors’ care needs are changing and growing, and the Government of Alberta is working to increase choices and options for seniors,” says Dave Quest, Associate Minister of Seniors. “These new beds are a part of a provincewide plan to expand the number of continuing care spaces and ensure seniors and adults with disabilities have access to the right care in the right place.”
“This new facility will provide outstanding support for local seniors and their families,” adds Pearl Calahasen, MLA for Lesser Slave Lake. “Area residents can enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing their loved ones are getting the care they need, even as their health and personal needs change as they age.”
The Government of Alberta has provided $4.4 million to the new facility through the Affordable Supportive Living Initiative, as a part of its goal to add 5,300 continuing care beds across the province between 2010 and 2015.
“This new supportive living facility will provide a range of care levels for adults and seniors in a home-like setting,” says Shelly Pusch, Chief Zone Officer for the AHS North Zone. “These spaces will offer a mix of living options, including dementia care, to meet the varied health and personal needs of its residents. Now, as needs change, seniors will not have to move to a different facility.”
Connecting Care, the company that operates Points West Living, is a leading independent provider of assisted living, long-term care, and retirement residence management.
“AHS already works closely with Points West Living in several northern Alberta communities and in other areas of the province,” says Pusch. “We are happy to be working together to bring a new facility to Slave Lake that offers a range of care and will accommodate residents in a community-based setting.”
The new facility will be located at 105 6 Ave. N.E., immediately west of Vanderwell Heritage Place, on land that was recently gifted to the Town of Slave Lake by the Province of Alberta.
“The ability for seniors to stay in their own community continues to be a long-standing goal of our council,” says Mayor Tyler Warman. “We are really excited by the ability of the new Points West Living facility to add levels of care we could not previously provide at the same time in one facility. The fact that more Slave Lake-area residents have the ability to keep their family members closer to home is a huge triumph for our region.”
Construction began in early May and the facility is expected to be ready to begin accepting residents in the spring of 2015.
“We are very excited about this new building and to be a part of the Slave Lake community,” says Rob Haberman, part-owner of Points West Living. “We are always working towards maximizing the quality of life, choices and options for Albertans.”
For more information about Points West Living, please visit pointswestliving.com.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
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