Now that Canada’s first ever public long-term care home based on the concepts of a dementia village has opened in Comox this week, plans are under way to bring similar innovative long-term care homes and services to Vancouver and other locations in BC.
Construction for St. Vincent’s Heather, the 240-bed urban/high-rise version of the new Providence Living at The Views long-term care home in Comox, is expected to start in 2025 and finish in fall 2028. In partnership with Providence Health Care and Vancouver Coastal Health, the BC government is investing in building it on the former site of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Vancouver at West 33rd Avenue and Heather Street. It will replace multi-occupancy spaces at existing Providence care homes.
The project is currently in the procurement phase and rezoning with the City of Vancouver.
A preview of St. Vincent’s Heather
The 13-storey facility will consist of 20 households that can accommodate 12 people each in single-bed rooms. Each room will have design elements, safety and privacy features, including a wheelchair accessible, three-piece ensuite private bathroom with shower (with adequate space for staff assistance). The ensuite bathroom will be furnished with an open (European) shower with handrails and grab bars. The shower will allow for use of a shower chair.
There will also be built-in storage space to accommodate the resident’s clothing and personal belongings, moveable furnishings (a bed, small dresser, bedside table, and comfortable visitor chair), windows to allow a view of the outdoors from a seated position in a chair and from reclining in bed, telephone jack, nurse call, cable TV/internet access, and individual room temperature controls.
The households will feature the social and recreational spaces found in a typical home, such as a living room, dining room, kitchen, and activity space.
Every room will have ceiling track lifts that carry through to the resident’s bathroom.
The new care home will provide appropriate floor space and an optimal household configuration to ensure the most effective operations for the purpose of delivering exceptional quality and culturally safe and appropriate care, and aligning with best practice standards for infection prevention and control.
It will host a vibrant community that will allow seniors to continue to live their best lives, and where residents and families help design the care and activities to cultivate a sense of belonging. There, they can eat and prepare food together as a “family” and shop, stroll, attend concerts, and generally live life to the fullest.
Some specially designed suites with connecting doors will allow couples and families to remain together.
A thriving community within a long-term care home
Community spaces will complement the households by providing indoor and outdoor social, recreational, and personal services available for residents to experience in both scheduled and casual ways, including:
-community garden and hall,
-café and grocery store,
-library and theatre,
-non-denominational sacred space for worship, reflection and spiritual practice, including Indigenous ceremonial practices; individuals living in the community may use this space or in groups up to 10 to 12,
-creative and exercise/therapy space,
-hairdressing services,
-37-space childcare centre, and
-dental and primary care services.
St. Vincent’s Heather and sustainability
A key aspect in the design of St. Vincent’s Heather will be making the most sustainable and energy-efficient development possible. It will utilize state-of-the-art technologies and best practices from around the world to reduce its carbon footprint and set a new standard for healthcare facilities nationwide.
Exceptional care model for SVH and other care homes
Providence is currently in the midst of a transformation in seniors’ care called Home for Us: a unique, holistic approach underpinned by a wholesale shift in what it really means to live in long-term care. It’s deeply rooted in compassion and science and follows best practices exemplified in other North American and European jurisdictions.
Already in place at Providence Living at The Views in Comox, Home for Us will be an integral part of St. Vincent’s Heather and the recently announced long-term care village coming to Prince George. It will also be rolled out within most of Providence Health Care’s long-term care homes, starting with Youville Residence where a pilot project of it is currently in progress.
A look at the future of long-term care
St. Vincent’s Heather and other future Providence long-term care homes will draw inspiration from Providence Living at The Views. Images and renderings of Providence Living at The Views are available on the Providence Living website.
