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After 54 years of marriage, Ladner residents Cliff and Sheila Cox had to surrender a lifetime of independence and a community they loved for a new life in others’ care.
Cliff moved into Delta Hospital’s long term care facility, Mountain View Manor, while battling cancer in 2015. Sadly, he passed away less than two months later. Three years later, after a stroke left Sheila unable to live independently, she also moved to Mountain View Manor.
The staff went above and beyond to brighten Sheila’s days, bringing her fresh-cut flowers, styling her hair for special occasions, and even organizing a performance by her granddaughter’s musical theatre class, but sharing a room with three other residents felt strange and often uncomfortable for Sheila, especially when her family would visit. She longed for the privacy and dignity afforded by a room of her own.
“It’s time for our elderly family members, who are anchors in all of our lives and who have built the community that we now live in, to spend their last years in a residence that meets all their needs,” says Kerri, Cliff and Sheila’s daughter.
Mountain View Manor was built 45 years ago when long-term care facilities were designed to maximize headcount instead of liveability, privacy and community.
That’s about to change, thanks to the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation, Fraser Health and the support of a generous community.
Delta Hospital’s largest infrastructure investment since 1980, the Coming Home campaign will transform long-term care in Delta, but community is essential to making it happen.
“A brand new, 200-bed, state-of-the-art long-term care community will be a place for purposeful living, a place for new stories and a place that truly feels like coming home,” says Lisa Hoglund, Foundation Executive Director.
The project hits close to home for Hoglund, whose mom was diagnosed with dementia and lived almost eight years in a long-term care facility on the outskirts of their community.
“I look back on that time and really wish she was closer to us,” Hoglund says. “It would have been a lot easier to see her more often and fill her days with even more of our presence and love.”
The new Delta residence will offer a more modern, innovative home that keeps our loved ones in the heart of our community. Seniors will live in a supportive environment that promotes their mental and physical well-being, fosters meaningful connections, and maintains their independence for as long as possible.
Each resident will have a private room, in a ‘household’ of 12 to 13 others, with dedicated social and recreational spaces, and outdoor areas.
Community spaces and services for residents, families, visitors and staff will also include a 32-space adult day program for people living more independently.
The residence couldn’t be more vital for the community.
“Over the next decade, Delta’s senior population is set to surge by nearly 40 per cent,” Hoglund notes. “With our aging population growing, we must take action now to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our seniors.
And, your donation will also help strengthen the entire Delta Hospital Campus of Care, she adds, as increasing space in long-term care will free up hospital beds, allowing prompt access for those who need them most.
To learn more and donate today, visit dhchfoundation.ca/capital-campaign