Regional Care Unit Sites Announced
As part of government’s commitment to protect the health and safety of seniors in long-term care, six Regional Care Units will be established across the province to reduce and manage the spread of COVID-19.
Government has budgeted up to $6.2 million for this initiative, which will see the units set up within a hospital or nursing home. Providers who operate large or multiple facilities may also choose to establish the regional care unit model in one of their facilities for their residents.
“Residents in our continuing care system are some of the most vulnerable when it comes to COVID-19,” said Leo Glavine, Minister of Health and Wellness. “We have made changes to strengthen how the sector responds to a second wave of the virus and Regional Care Units for nursing home residents who test positive for COVID-19 is one of these measures.”
The units will be in the following facilities:
- Ocean View Continuing Care Centre, Dartmouth
- Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro
- Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney
- St. Martha’s Regional Hospital, Antigonish
- Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville
- Yarmouth Regional Hospital, Yarmouth
These units will offer long-term care and have dedicated staff. They will have access to specialized resources like occupational health, and infection prevention and control experts.
Work is underway to finalize guidelines on when a resident is transferred to a Regional Care Unit versus being cared for in place.
Quotes:
“Our staff, physicians and facilities are well equipped to support the care of long-term care residents who test positive for COVID-19. We’re pleased to work with our partners to support these efforts.”
– Bethany McCormick, Nova Scotia Health’s senior director of COVID-19 planning and implementation
“As an organization whose vision is to be the community of choice for Nova Scotians needing support, we feel it’s our duty to be a part of this solution. Through conversation with our team and residents over the past weeks, we have been pleased and proud to hear that they also believe it is our duty to step up in this way. We look forward to continuing to offer exceptional care to our residents and to these new folks who need our support.”
– Dion Mouland, president and CEO, Ocean View Continuing Care Centre
Quick Facts:
- there are 133 licensed long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia with a total of about 8,000 beds
- 58 per cent of rooms in the long-term care system are single rooms with private bathrooms
- the province will continue to supply the sector with PPE specifically for COVID-19. A three-month supply was recently delivered