Greater Victoria is one step closer to achieving a health care goal as construction officially began Tuesday at the Heights at Mt. View, the latest addition to the Campus of Care.
The seven-storey, 260-bed residential care facility is a joint effort between Baptist Housing, the Capital Regional Hospital District and the Vancouver Island Health Authority.
The $60.5-million Heights at Mt. View will form one-third of the Campus of Care, a site devoted to seniors, housing for the homeless and affordable family housing.
“The end is in sight,” said Charlie Nishi, chair of the Baptist Housing board of directors. “This road has had its challenges.
“It’s been our concern for a number of years as we endeavour to provide quality residential care while working in buildings that weren’t always optimal for today’s needs.”
Unlike other care facilities in the region, The Heights at Mt. View includes two, 20-patient houses specially designed for patients with early stages of dementia.
“They are able to be in a community where people that have similar dementia issues. Those residents actually respond better from a health perspective because they’re around other people like them,” said Howard Johnson, president of Baptist Housing.
“In the past, people who suffer from dementia have been placed in care at a high level, and immediately their care deteriorates to the level of the residents who are around them.”
The units are designed to feel home-like with private bedrooms, and a shared kitchen, dining room, living room and den area, and moves away from dorm-like facilities built in the 1970s.
The Heights at Mount View will eventually replace Baptist Housing’s outdated Central Care Home and Mount Edwards Court.
The project is at 3814 Carey Rd., on CRHD land and the former Mount View school site.
The CRHD contributed $18.1 towards capital costs to retain public ownership of the land, which will be leased to Baptist housing for 25 years.
VIHA will provide operating funding to Baptist Housing, which will also contribute monetarily through a $1-million grant. The building is slated to open in December 2014.
nnorth@saanichnews.com