New dementia wing set to open soon at Charlottetown seniors' home

The Garden Home in Charlottetown hopes a new dementia wing will help many seniors in need of specialized care. 

The nursing home is set to open a new 11-bed unit for seniors living with dementia in early May. 

"The demand for dementia care is rising," said Jason Lee, CEO of P.E.I. Seniors Homes. 

Lee said that in the past, if some existing residents developed more serious dementia and needed a secure unit, they would have to be transferred to another home.

"The fact that their dementia becomes more advanced shouldn't be a reason for them to have to leave," he said.

Lee said he's grateful to Health PEI for allowing the facility to add a dementia wing.

The home didn't add more licences for beds but rather converted some of its normal nursing bed licences to dementia care beds. 

The home will actually have six fewer beds overall after it adds the dementia care unit. 

Issue in the legislature

The issue of patients living with dementia being cared for at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown has come up in the legislature lately. 

Some of the patients had previously been placed in the Unit 9 psychiatric ward during and after the first wave of COVID-19 planning in 2020.  

In March, Health Minister Ernie Hudson said some patients had been moved to the Unit 3 medical nursing ward, with Health PEI saying it was "more appropriate and allows more efficient use of staff resources."

"That's not the ideal environment for people who need to be in long-term care," said Andrew MacDougall, acting executive director for community health and seniors care for Health PEI. 

MacDougall said the unit at the Garden Home is needed. 

"It's timely and it's going to be impactful for people who are moving there," he said. 

He said he expected most of the new dementia residents for the Garden Home to come from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. 

The Alzheimer Society of P.E.I. says there is a need for more dementia care on the Island.

Laura MacWilliam, the interim executive director of the society, said staying in hospital and waiting for a nursing home spot can be particularly stressful for individuals with dementia and their families. 

"A hospital setting isn't ideal for anybody, let alone when you're adding someone who has a neurological disease happening," said MacWilliam. 

She said a hospital setting usually is too stimulating for people with dementia. 

MacWilliam said dementia units in nursing homes give people a better quality of life.

Home-like environment 

Staff at the Garden Home say everything from the colours on the walls to specialized light fixtures in the new unit have been chosen to help people relax.

"Being able to give Islanders a place to go that's not the hospital was our end goal, and we're really excited to be able to do that," said Kristina Butler, the operations manager at the Garden Home. 

Butler said on top of the 11 beds, there will also be a living room and kitchen area for residents to enjoy, and a local artist will come in to do specialized art on the walls. 

"It's just going to be bright and not institutional. That was our goal — to have something that feels like home for people," said Butler. 

The dementia until will go by the name Mapleview. It's expected to open by May 10.

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