A rendering of the new long-term care facility. (Saskatchewan Health Authority)

By Derek Cornet

coordinating

Fundraising efforts start for new long-term care facility

Dec 5, 2023 | 5:00 PM

The La Ronge and Area Long-Term Care Fundraising Committee has begun the task of raising enough money to purchase furnishings and equipment for the new facility.

The three-storey, two-wing per-floor care home, which is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2026, will include 80 resident rooms and will be owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). It will feature living areas, tub rooms, family rooms, a traditional healing space, a serenity room, a commercial kitchen and space for other health services.

The project also includes renovating the existing 16-bed long-term care space to provide increased La Ronge Health Centre space and improve several program areas, including therapies, an adult day program, and a new hemodialysis unit. At a community engagement session held last week, the SHA and SaskBuilds was on hand to provide additional details.

“[The serenity room] was designed in community consultation and a desire to maintain a connection with the natural environment, and so the serenity room has about knee to ceiling windows in which we should be able to oversee the lake at any time of day,” said committee coordinator Sarah Groat.

“They will have some calming nature sounds piped into there. That’s a really exciting area to be able to feel like it is less institutionalized and more of a home.”

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While there is yet to be a final amount determined that the tri-communities will need to raise, it will be in the millions of dollars. Groat explained she’s currently in the process of partnering with businesses and organizations that have a vested interested in the well-bring of local community members.

She is also in the process of creating a local campaign that will include fundraisers and other community events to engage local residents. Groat is working on a Casino Night and a Halloween event for 2024.

“There is no specific end goal right now, but we will be working with the SHA and, hopefully, they will be able to provide some bridge financing so we don’t have to have all of the funds in place before equipment is purchased, so the fundraising campaign will go longer than substantial completion,” Groat said.

Aside from fundraising for furniture and equipment, other challenges include the need for more housing and the hiring of approximately 137 new staff. As for housing, La Ronge council has completed a housing needs assessment to access fund, struck a potential deal for a new 30-unit apartment complex and there’s an ongoing transformation of a local mobile home park.

The SHA will be responsible for recruiting, hiring and retaining employees.

“Everybody has a little piece of the pie,” Groat said. “I really hope everyone can come together and say we did this together.”

The current fundraising effort is a 50/50 draw that ends Dec. 17. That includes a chance to win up to $25,000 with a maximum of 25,000 tickets being sold.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com