MONCTON (GNB) – The provincial government announced today that Shannex has been selected to build and manage a 60-bed nursing home in Moncton.
“For several years, Shannex has been an important partner in our efforts to provide high-quality services to seniors,” said Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch. “This new nursing home in Moncton will be an important asset to help meet the increased demand due to our aging population.”
The site of the new nursing home has not yet been confirmed. The development will be consistent with the continuum of care model and will offer a full campus with Parkland retirement living options in addition to the nursing home. Construction will start this summer, and opening should take place in 2023.
“We are honoured to have been selected to design and build a new home for seniors in the Moncton region,” said Jason Shannon, president and chief operating officer of Shannex. “In our 32 years of providing care and service to seniors, we have seen the contribution seniors of all ages continue to make in their communities and we are committed to helping them do so by providing exceptional care and service in warm, caring and safe environments.”
The home will be a two-storey facility that will have neighbourhoods for 30 residents on each floor. Neighbourhoods will have their own dedicated nursing station, dining room, living room, library and activity space. Each resident will have their own private suite and washroom to help ensure privacy and to support infection prevention and control standards. A landscaped courtyard, with plants, flowers and open space, will also be available to residents.
In addition to being part of a larger campus, the facility will also have an indoor Main Street which is a feature now in place at a number of Shannex nursing homes in the province. This concept allows residents to enjoy the experience of spending time on a small-town street complete with a multi-purpose room that will serve as a chapel and theatre space, a hair salon, café and town hall.
There are currently 70 licensed nursing homes across the province that provide 4,925 beds. The provincial government plans to increase this to 80 licensed nursing homes, creating an additional 600 beds. There are two request for proposals currently in process; one for a new 60-bed facility in the Acadian Peninsula and the second is for the replacement of an existing 190-bed facility in Shediac.
The provincial government also plans to increase the hours of care in nursing homes to 3.2 hours per resident in October 2021 and to 3.3 hours per resident in April 2022. This initiative will include an increase of $15 million in the annual budget for nursing home services.
Today’s announcement in Moncton was the result of a request for proposals launched in 2018. All nursing homes are subject to the licence and inspection requirements of the Department of Social Development.
18-06-21