AYLMER — The Ontario government is celebrating the opening of a new two-storey addition at Terrace Lodge, a long-term care home in Alymer. This is part of the Ontario government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 new beds by 2028 and 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province.
The three-phase redevelopment of Terrace Lodge will bring 100 upgraded and modern beds to the area, including more private bedrooms and improved resident spaces, kitchen and other common areas. The 64-bed first phase started welcoming residents in May 2023. The second phase of construction is forecast to provide 18 upgraded beds in spring 2024, and the final phase is expected to deliver the remaining 18 beds in late 2024.
“Congratulations to Terrace Lodge on opening the first phase of their redeveloped home with 64 upgraded beds. Our government is fixing long-term care and a key part of that plan is building modern, safe and comfortable homes for our seniors,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Long-Term Care. “The upgraded Terrace Lodge represents a significant milestone for Elgin County – when building is completed, 100 residents will have a new place to call home, near their family and friends.”
The renovation and expansion of Terrace Lodge will feature additional design improvements, including more dining space per resident, updated physical and health amenities such as a new physiotherapy room and health clinic, new chapel, new gift shop, larger resident common areas and air conditioning throughout the home.
The design is centred around ‘resident home areas’ to create more intimate and familiar living spaces for up to 32 residents, with dining and activity areas, lounges and bedrooms. Once all phases are completed, the home will also provide a home area for 25 memory care residents who will continue to benefit from specially designed lifestyle activities and dining.
In addition to projects like Terrace Lodge in Aylmer, Ontario is supporting another three projects in Elgin County, including the development of long-term care homes in Port Stanley and St. Thomas. Together, these four projects will provide 148 new and 336 upgraded long-term care beds, for a total of 484 beds built to modern design standards.
The government is fixing long-term care to ensure Ontario’s seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve, both now and in the future. The plan is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.
Quick Facts
- The Ontario government is on track to build 30,000 much-needed new long-term care beds in the province by 2028, and is redeveloping older beds to modern design standards. Through a $6.4 billion investment, Ontario has 31,705 new and 28,648 upgraded beds in the planning, construction and opening stages of the development process. This will help increase overall bed capacity, address long-term care waitlists and hallway health care, and provide our seniors with the care they deserve.
- Building more modern, safe and comfortable homes for our seniors is part of the Government of Ontario’s Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.
- The province is taking innovative steps to get long-term care homes built, including modernizing its funding model, selling unused lands with the requirement that long-term care homes be built on portions of the properties, and leveraging hospital-owned land to build urgently needed homes in large urban areas.
- The Ontario government is providing a supplemental increase to the construction funding subsidy to stimulate the start of construction by August 31, 2023 for more long-term care homes across the province. Not-for-profit homes have the option to receive a portion of the funding as an up-front construction grant payable at the start of construction. The supplemental increase is part of the funding for long-term care home development.
- As of April 2023, more than 40,000 people were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed in Ontario. The median wait time is 123 days for applicants to be placed in long-term care.
Quotes
“We are thrilled to share that the long-anticipated addition at Terrace Lodge is now complete. Projects like these are so much more than just new bricks and mortar, rather, it is a significant enhancement to the quality of life for our long-term care residents. We are honoured to have Minister Calandra visit our newly renovated space to witness firsthand the long-term impact this project will bring to our community.”
– Ed Ketchabaw
Elgin County Warden
“With the additional beds at Terrace Lodge, we are taking a significant step forward in ensuring that people receive the care and support they deserve. This project stands as a testament to our commitment to improving the quality of life for our seniors and providing them with a comfortable and dignified living environment.”
– Rob Flack
MPP for Elgin—Middlesex—London
SOURCE Province of Ontario
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