A $25.1-million long-term care facility recently celebrated its official grand opening in Kipling, Sask. The Kipling Integrated Health Centre replaces the aging Willowdale Lodge long-term care facility and the Kipling Memorial Health Centre.

The new facility offers 32 long-term care beds, 12 acute care beds and one multi-purpose bed.

“It is beneficial to have both long-term care and acute care services in one building,” says Marga Cugnet, Sun Country Health Region President. “This allows health care providers and staff to better support one another, and to provide better care to both residents and patients. The community can also benefit from health providers who have cross training in acute care and long-term care. They are better equipped to maintain service continuity.”

Financing for the centre was provided by the provincial government ($18-million) and local contributors ($7.1-million).

The project is part of the Government of Saskatchewan’s $200-million investment in the replacement of 13 long-term care centres across the province. The redevelopment of another long-term care facility in Radville, Sask. was also recently completed. To date, eight of the 13 projects are finished.