More patients who no longer require acute care services in Hamilton, Ont., will soon be able to transition into a new alternative facility for restorative and specialty care.

The province will invest more than $16 million into a reactivation care centre, which broke ground today. The project is in partnership with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS).

Once opened, the 28,000 square-foot centre will include 57 transitional care beds across three units to connect people to a variety of reactivation care needs, including complex care, dementia care services and behavioural support services.

There will also be four rooms with dialysis services for access to convenient, on-site hemodialysis treatment.

“Health care in our region will be more accessible for all because of this initiative,” said HHS President and CEO Tracey MacArthur. “More capacity in our region to transition patients out of hospital helps our services and teams function more effectively.”

In the Hamilton region, the government is also working on hospital projects including the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton psychiatric emergency service redevelopment, Hamilton General Hospital’s emergency department expansion, and the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital redevelopment.

“With an estimated 250,000 Ontario residents living with dementia, the new Reactivation Care Centre presents an opportunity to better serve our vulnerable populations, added Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta. “The innovative model of care used by reactivation care centres ensures that Ontario’s vulnerable population groups receive the care they need, freeing up much-needed hospital beds.”