Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement about the extended care beds in Hay River, I forgot to mention those valuable elders in our extended care facility, especially my mom.
My question today is for the Minister of Health. When will the study be completed on the extended bed facility in Hay River?
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to have to go back to the department because I’m not 100 percent sure what study the Member is talking about. I can say that Woodland Manor expansion was approved as part of the ’13-14 GNWT capital estimates during the fall 2013 session. We are moving forward with an expansion to Woodland Manor, which will include eight long-term care rooms, one palliative care room and one respite care room. Those rooms are available for long-term care as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, my understanding was that they were going to do a study on the needs of the community. Being a regional centre, there would be a study seeing what the demands are for that type of facility and what the future requirements for that type of facility are. I’m just wondering if the Minister would get back to me on when that type of study would be completed.
Mr. Speaker, Hay River currently provides accommodation for 25 long-term care residents. The Woodland Manor currently operates at 15 and the hospital there currently has 10. We are taking the 10 out of what is the old hospital. We are putting the addition onto Woodland and we’re increasing capacity, or maintaining capacity at 25 in Hay River.
As far as future facilities, we are doing the Aging in Place Strategy, which is going to help inform where we go from here with respect to care facilities in the Northwest Territories, and we will continue to work with the Housing Corp, who has done a significant amount of good work with respect to independent living facilities throughout the Northwest Territories. With respect to the plan, I’ll get back to the Member.
Mr. Speaker, obviously I’m concerned about the seniors facility that’s being built and the needs assessment that would be in the community of Hay River. We know the population is aging. We want to know what the demands are for five, 10, 15, 20 years from now. Obviously, the 10 beds in that facility are something that we’re pleased that they actually put that back in the budget because it should have been there all along, but we also want to know what the demands are for the community in the years to come.
Mr. Speaker, a needs forecast for the entire Northwest Territories is going to help inform the Aging in Place Strategy. I will get back to the Member with that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
I have no more further questions, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Mr. Bromley.
