Open House coming up on Cobblestone House
September 7, 2021, 11:12 am
Kevin Weedmark
An open house is coming up Tuesday, September 14, to discuss Cobblestone House, a new long-term care/assisted living facility planned for Moosomin.
The open house is slated for 1:30 to 2:30 pm at the Canalta Hotel meeting room, following the Chamber of Commerce Election Forum over the lunch hour September 14.
Representatives of the three organizations involved in the Cobblestone House project will be at the meeting:
• Care by Design, the company that will be planning the delivery of care in the new facility;
• Bridge Road Developments, which will be constructing the new facility; and
• Kohr Capital, which is raising funds to build the new facility.
Everyone is welcome to attend, and people are encouraged to bring any questions they may have about the new facility.
Following are questions and answers with Heather Haupstein of Care Design, which will be looking after the care end of the project.
Tell me how you got involved in long-term care.
My background is nursing and business administration. Jim’s is administration. When I completed nursing, I was a hospital administrator where we had a day away program which I took our grandmother to everyday. When grandma needed additional care, Jim and I researched the available options and decided that we could build a home like environment that did not exist in LTC. After a year of research, we designed and built our first home for seniors called Hill Top Manor in Weyburn, understanding that the environment plays an important role in the quality of life for our residents. Our goal was to eliminate every institutional icon in the home, so residents could live in a environment that was familiar and comfortable.
The home also had to provide all levels of care, so residents could age in place and never have to leave regardless of their level of care. The home also had to welcome couples, so they could remain together. This concept was new in private care. My grandma was able to provide feedback on what felt like home when she was at the day away program. The best advice we received was “Build what you want to live in as you may be there one day.”
What is your driving purpose? What do you feel you are contributing through your involvement in long-term care?
The ultimate goal was to be a voice for seniors. Everyone should have choice on how they would like to live and where, regardless of age or abilities. The ultimate satisfaction comes from the relationship we build with our residents and families and their comments that this feels like home.
How long have you been involved in long-term care and what is your role in Care by Design and any other companies you are involved with now?
We have been involved in providing LTC in Saskatchewan since 1999. Jim always had the company name Care by Design, but we never moved forward with that until the Moosomin project. We continued to design, build and operate PCHs throughout the province in my role as CEO of Golden Health Care and Jim looked after the administration.
How did you get involved in the Cobblestone House project?
We were approached by a community member from Moosomin to discuss our philosophy and building design to see if it was a good fit for Moosomin. The idea of providing a home in Moosomin (The Cobblestone House) for seniors in a smaller rural area matched our belief to offer choice for seniors.
We have been referring to Cobblestone House as a long-term care/assisted living project. Can you explain the different levels of care?
1) Level 1 provide meals, housekeeping, activity and medication advice; 2) Level 2 provides all the services listed in Level 1 plus personal hygiene and grooming assistance; 3) Level 3 is a continuation of Level 1 and 2 plus nursing care; and 4) Level 4 is adding on continuous medication monitoring and skilled nursing care. The home will also provide memory care, palliative care and respite care.
Is the long-term care component of this project comparable to the care provided in public facilities like the Southeast Integrated Care Centre?
The care provided is identical to the government subsidized homes.
Can you explain the concept of aging in place?
The primary focus of The Cobblestone House is to provide a home that adapts to the changes in-care residents require so they never have to leave the home as care needs change. This is “aging in place.”
What will be your role in this project?
Care by Design will develop the floor plan and design the internal environment. We will use our experience to introduce the philosophy of care, making sure the proper care team is in place and continue to be a resource as the home moves forward.
What do you think this project will bring to the Moosomin area?
The Cobblestone House will bring alternative living choices for seniors so they do not have to leave their community and friends. The home will provide local people to be part of supporting seniors in their community. A care team that consists of neighbors, friends and community members, looking after the seniors they know, builds relationships and that is what quality care is based on.
Why do you want to see this project move forward?
The design of the home has proven to be beneficial in quality of care and life for residents. It is not just about building four walls. It is about using the environment as a therapeutic tool to enhance quality of life and keep residents safe. We would like to see this design in smaller rural areas so residents are safe and comfortable in a care environment and can remain in their community.
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