Behchoko residents celebrate opening of bigger, better seniors' home

The community of Behchoko, N.W.T. celebrated the opening of the new and improved Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home Wednesday, five years after first breaking ground.

The facility includes 18 long-term care rooms and a shared dining area for residents. The building was also designed to allow for extra space for community events, and the kitchen was designed to help prepare food for people in home care programs.

"Every Thursday afternoon, for example, we have bingo here," said Peter Fair, the clinical coordinator with the Tlicho Community Services Agency, "for guests, and anyone else who wants to come in and join us. That's in the grand hall. Meals on wheels, the whole day program, working more closely with community support services."

• PHOTOS | New Behchoko seniors' facility becoming central to community

"It stops the old impression of a seniors' facility being just a building that old people go to to die. It's where people come to live."

The seniors' home first opened as a 10-bed facility in December of 2014. Originally, the plan was to re-open with 18 beds in 2015, but that was pushed back due to issues with construction, said Fair, including the floor being broken that needed to be repaired.

According to a news release from the territorial government, the project was completed on a construction budget of $14.2 million.

Not just for local residents

Nine of the 18 beds in the facility are currently filled, mostly by people from the Tlicho region. However, the beds could be filled by people from across the Northwest Territories, if there isn't room at a facility in their home region.

One of the residents is Rene Fumoleau, a priest, author, and longtime Yellowknife resident. Fumoleau has been at the residence in Behchoko for the last two weeks, and says that while he loves the space and staff, he wishes there was a room available at a facility in Yellowknife.

"What I miss now... in the morning, at about 2 o'clock, I went to the streets, and I met all my friends there," he said. "I always talked to 15, 20 people every day.

"I hope to go back."

The community of Behchoko has embraced the centre with open arms. Both Jayanne Campbell and Brienna Menacho were at Wednesday's grand opening, and said that they feel welcome to come visit their family members in the facility. 

"They have many stories to tell you, if you just listen," said Campbell. "You volunteer, pick up the garbage outside, just to help the elders."

Behchoko chief Clifford Daniels says that the town is also hoping to reap employment benefits from the expanded centre. So far, he says, about 20 residents have been trained for jobs.