Long-term care beds in Wellington will keep francophones closer to their culture
'We are all set up bilingually. We serve the seniors in the language of their choice'
The Chez-Nous community care facility in Wellington, P.E.I., will be undergoing a large expansion, after getting a promise of 12 long-term care beds from the province.
Edgar Arsenault, manager at La Coopérative Le Chez-Nous Ltée, says the facility has been lobbying the province for six years to add nursing care to the facilities existing 47 community care beds.
"It's really exciting for the community," he said.
"Where people will be able to stay in their community and keep living with their families, their community and ... still have their culture and language in use on a daily basis."
Chez-Nous is planning a two-storey, 4,000 square foot expansion — with 12 rooms for the beds and a seniors' activity centre.
Arsenault said the activity centre will be a place for seniors to socialize, watch concerts and take part in educational sessions.
"We are all set up bilingually. We serve the seniors in the language of their choice but French is ... almost 99 per cent of the activities," Arsenault said.
The announced long-term care beds for the facility will allow seniors who are as far away as Crapaud and Clinton to come back to the area and have nursing care in French.
"You choose your number one priority of where you want to go if you need nursing beds but from what I understand you can also ask for transfers," Arsenault said.
"I can imagine there is lots of francophones and Acadians in the manors now that will probably be asking for a transfer."
He expects nine more staff will be hired to accommodate the new expansion — beyond the 27 already working there.
The new beds and seniors' activity centre are expected to open in June 2019.
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With files from Laura Chapin