Carleton Manor in Woodstock to benefit from province-wide bed increase

The Carleton Manor in Woodstock, built in 2007, is expected to see an increase of 30 beds in the near future.

The New Brunswick provincial government recently unveiled a plan to increase the number of beds in nursing and special care homes across the province.

On Thursday, March 15th, the government announced that they will create 704 special care beds and 354 nursing home beds. This means a total of 1,054 beds being created.

Minister of Social Development Sue Stultz, who is also responsible for seniors, housing and community non-profit organizations, announced the creation of the beds and shared a review of a nursing home replacement and refurbishment plan, which was released in December of 2009.

"Creating hundreds more specialized care beds will enable more seniors to move from hospitals into long-term care," Stultz said in a press release which was published on the CJ 104 website. "These beds will help alleviate waiting lists and meet the needs of seniors who do not need full-time nursing care."

The review carried out was done using a three-step process which included a study of the province's aging population for the next decade, along with the condition of special care facilities and a review of design standards.

The population study determined that the need for long-term care appears to be the highest in the Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton areas. The need for services for seniors with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia is also increasing.

The 704 specialized care beds will be created over a five-year period, and they are to be created by the private sector. These beds will be designed to address the need for care for patients with Alzheimer's and dementia. As the need for services for people living with Alzheimer's and dementia continues to increase, the amount of services will increase to keep up with the need.

In the midst of financial troubles, the provincial administration, led by Premier David Alward, has been able to find ways to replace aging facilities and increase the number of beds in a cost-effective manner.

The report carried out to determine the need for upgraded facilities and/or increased services was used to find $110 million in efficiencies and cost-savings in building construction. Stultz mentioned that implementing this plan will cost over $300 million.

"We will proceed with a nursing home renovation and replacement plan at an estimated cost of $329 million," Stultz said. "Our review has produced substantial savings for taxpayers while meeting the needs of our seniors and the long-term care system. This is an outstanding accomplishment on both fronts."

Woodstock's manor was not left off the list of twenty facilities to be improved or replaced. The Carleton Manor will receive an extra thirty beds.

The Shiretown facility currently boasts 80 beds. An extra thirty beds will bring the total number of beds in Woodstock up to 110.

It is currently unclear when work will begin on the Woodstock facility.