Needs assessment complete, new nursing home coming into focus

The latest domino has fallen in the long process of bringing a new nursing home to Estevan.

Don Kindopp, the Chair of the New Estevan Regional Nursing Home Comittee, confirmed Tuesday that a needs assessment has been completed, and his team will meet with the Saskatchewan Health Authority some time in the next few weeks to discuss next steps.

SaskBuilds hired a company, BTY Consultancy Group Inc., to conduct the needs assessment to look at the demographics in Estevan.

Kindopp said he doesn't yet know what the needs are that came out of the study.

"We're in the process of arranging a date for us to get together to look at the results of that needs assessment," he said. "I suspect it'll be either the last week of March or the first week of April. We'll start looking at what options we have to meet those needs."

"Where can we put the building, how big should it be, how many beds do we need, what type of structure...one level or two levels."

Kindopp said it's a step in the right direction.

"I'm pleased that it happened as quickly as it did and now we'll start looking at the options of that needs assessment."

Although Kindopp isn't sure of exactly how much the new project will cost, he said the original number he heard was in the neighborhood of 40 million dollars. He said the community has already raised funds for 20 per cent of that cost. The remaining cost will be covered by the provincial government.

Kindopp added that he hopes the new facility has a philosophy of being more "elder-centred."