Push made for residential care beds

by Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star posted Mar 15, 2015 at 1:00 AM
Coldstream residents are hopeful they can stay in their community as age forces them out of home. With zero residential care beds in the district, Coldstream Meadows is hoping to give the approximately 10,000 residents an option close to home. Although the private care facility offers care options to those who can afford it, Coldstream Meadows has long been seeking the opportunity to add to its offerings with the publicly subsidized option. The Interior Health Authority has plans to create 85 new residential care beds in the Vernon area. “Coldstream’s unique aging population needs this facility and needs this facility now,” said Jack Borden, Coldstream Meadows owner, in a presentation to district council. “Currently all Coldstream residents requiring complex residential care must relocate to Vernon or some other community. This is just not fair to our residents and their families.” That’s where the Aberdeen Manor, a proposed 85-care bed facility at Coldstream Meadows, could make all the difference for residents. Along with providing care, the development would benefit the community (which lost a major employer with the closure of the glass plant in 2008) with jobs in both construction and care. “Over 60 (full-time equivalent) positions from the day of opening providing full and part-time employment for up to 90 employees with full union wages and benefits,” said Borden, in his list of benefits. There’s also tax dollars, DCCs, utility fees and more. The District of Coldstream is sending a letter in support of Coldstream Meadow’s application. “Now there’s an opportunity to have it materialize and I think it should,” said Coun. Gyula Kiss. “I have had the opportunity, unfortunately, of having two of my friends need this kind of care... There is very much a shortage of these care facilities.” IHA anticipates the contract will be awarded in June with construction estimated to begin in the fall.