vachon

Cypress Health Region CEO Beth Vachon

The CEO of the Cypress Health Region is confident their planned new long-term care facility in Swift Current will meet the needs of the city's aging population.

"This is a good start, I think, that will see us through the next 30 to 40 years." Beth Vachon said.

She adds they are comfortable with the increase in beds a new facility would bring, but adds it's just part of the bigger picture. "It's also really important to think about the entire continuum of care, and a long-term care system is only part of that, so you have to also look at how do we develop our community health services," Vachon added. "People don't want to be in long-term care. They want to stay in their homes as long as possible."

As for the three current long-term facilities in Swift Current that would be replaced, Vachon says their focus changes to patching rather than renovating: "Ongoing maintenance is an absolute requirement as long as we're occupying buildings. That doesn't stop, but looking at some of the investments that we would make for the long term for some of our more stable buildings, those kinds of things don't happen when you're in the midst of planning for another facility."

As announced on Friday, the health region will be conducting an open process asking for expressions of interest for the construction of a new $60 million, 225-bed facility near Cypress Regional Hospital.