After some four years of preliminary work, the Clinton and District Assisted Living Society is one step closer to its goal of getting an assisted living facility located in Clinton.
Chairperson Judy Hampton says that a 160-page report regarding the “Clinton Supportive Seniors Project” was recently submitted to BC Housing, containing full details of the proposed facility. The Society would like to locate the 10–12 unit building on the old Clinton Elementary School playing field, which is Crown Land that is in the care of School District No. 74. The school was closed in June 2010.
“We hope that between the three government bodies involved—the Ministry of Education, Crown Lands, and BC Housing—we can reach an agreement,” said Hampton. BC Housing has given no indication as to how long it will be before the Society receives a response.
The Society’s original aim was to have an assisted living facility with healthcare services on site, but when that cost was added on to the proposal it made it much more expensive, and meant that it would take longer to be approved. Having healthcare personnel on site is at the top of the list for the future, said Hampton, but the current proposal is for a supportive care facility that would see home care workers called in when needed to administer prescriptions and see to residents’ health.
Each unit would have a small kitchen area with a fridge and microwave, but the majority of meals would be prepared in a large commercial kitchen on site and served in a communal dining-room. Meals and cleaning would be provided for all residents.
“These sorts of projects are desperately needed in small communities,” said Hampton, who added that the facility would be similar to Thompson View Manor in Ashcroft. “Otherwise people have to go to larger centres that they don’t want to be in.”
Barbara Roden