Wikwemikong Nursing Home also requires rebuild
MANITOULIN—As mentioned at a meeting of representatives of Manitoulin municipalities and the Manitoulin Centennial Manor Board last week, two of the Island’s nursing homes, the Manitoulin Lodge Nursing Home in Gore Bay and the Wikwemikong Nursing Home have to meet a provincially-mandated rebuild in the next 10 years.
At the Manitoulin Centennial Manor Board meeting with municipal representatives last week, Keith Clement of Extendicare had noted the manor is not required to go through the rebuild process as it is deemed a class A nursing home, but the two other Island nursing homes are required to go through the rebuild process (renovate or rebuild) by 2025.
David Jensen, media relations coordinator with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care told The Recorder Tuesday, “it is true. The two nursing homes (in Gore Bay and Wiikwemkoong) are classified as older C category homes and will have to go through the rebuild process.”
Mr. Jensen said, “the ministry supports long-term care infrastructure projects across the province, including the building of new long-term care bed capacity and the redevelopment of existing, older long-term care beds to meet current design standards.”
“The ministry is currently supporting the redevelopment of over 30,000 of the province’s oldest long-term care beds to current design standards,” said Mr. Jensen. “Currently, the main source of funding provided by the ministry for these long-term care projects is the 25-year construction funding subsidy, a 25-year per bed, per day subsidy provided to eligible long-term care home operators.”
“Wikwemikong Nursing Home has 59 permanent long-term care beds that are eligible for a construction funding subsidy to redevelop,” said Mr. Jensen. “Manitoulin Lodge has 61 permanent long-term care beds that are eligible for a construction funding subsidy to redevelop.”
Mr. Jensen added, “the 60 permanent long-term care beds at Manitoulin Centennial Manor are not among the province’s oldest long-term care beds and are not eligible for a construction funding subsidy.”
