Improving end-of-life care in our community
By Leela Sharon Aheer Chestermere-Strathmore MLA
On May 7, Strathmore is holding its Hike for Hospice event to raise much-needed funds for Hospice palliative care. This helps to improve end-of-life care in our community. The event is held at Kinsmen Park, and here is the agenda: 10 a.m. – firetruck pull, 11 a.m. – registration and activities, including face painting and Wheatland Whirlers, noon – opening ceremonies, 12:30 p.m. – walk, run, hike, bike or, if you prefer, complete a walk or hike at your convenience.
Up-to-date information can be found on their website (www.wheatlandhospice.ca) or, if you prefer, donations and pledge sheets may be dropped off at Gray’s Ltd. in Strathmore. Ensure your full name, mailing address, and phone number are clearly marked on your envelope. Got questions? Call 403-934-8199.
On that note, I would like to share some information about the ongoing work with Wheatland Housing and the anticipated lodge. Thank you to the Strathmore and Wheatland County municipalities for their work and advocacy to build this much-needed facility. There has been great consultation and conversation and so much fundraising. This is fundamental to having everyone onside to get this work done.
From Wheatland housing: Wheatland Housing Management Board (WHMB) has a credible history of fulfilling the provincial mandate given to municipalities to supply low-income housing for seniors for over 50 years. Wheatland Lodge was built in the 1960s. It is well cared for but needs to be updated in structure and design. Wheatland County is an area of economic and population growth, and future demographic projections demonstrate an urgent need for seniors housing. There are four phases until construction starts. We recently hired a Project Manager to keep things moving, especially in directing the proposal to provincial and federal funding programs.
Please send letters to your councils to get letters of support from both Strathmore and Wheatland County for this project.
Here is what we know so far.
Wheatland Housing Management Body (WHMB) requests provincial funding to support its proposed development of a seniors’ lodge in Strathmore.
Background:
On Dec. 7, 2022, the government announced the release of the Affordable Housing Partnership Program (AHPP), which brings together public, non-profit, and private sector partners to provide more affordable housing options where they are most needed.
Applications for the first round of funding were accepted from Dec. 7 to Jan. 11, 2023.
Provincial funding under the program will be up to one-third of the project’s total capital cost in the form of capital grants or, where applicable, transfer of ownership of an Alberta Social Housing Corporation (ASHC) owned asset and/or long-term lease of an ASHC owned asset.
WHMB is encouraged to review the parameters of the AHPP and apply for grant funding if the proposal is aligned with eligibility criteria.
On July 14, 2021, WHMB proposed developing a seniors’ project estimated at $63.5 million. The proposal included 165 seniors’ lodge units with support from supportive living levels two to four (SL2 to SL4), designated a supportive living level four dementia (DSL4D), six hospice care units, and three independent living units.
WHMB is requesting the province provide $23.4 million, approximately 50 percent of the estimated $46.8 million cost of the seniors’ lodge units.
The estimated $2.9 million cost of the hospice care units will be funded directly by the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society. It will not result in a capital or operational impact on the project or WHMB. WHMB has had discussions with the hospice board to provide services such as cleaning, laundry, and food services. The partnership between these two groups focuses on providing complete end-of-life support to community members.
The proposal, estimated at $13.8 million, to develop 33 independent living suites on the fifth floor as a “Life Lease” project is expected to generate a net positive cash flow to the project and effectively bring 33 private purchasers into the project as investors. In the summer of 2019, WHMB completed a detailed housing study that indicated the need for a 165-unit lodge. WHMB committed $580,000 to begin the design process with Berry Architecture + Associates. On Aug. 26, 2022, WHMB informed ministry staff it had hired an outside consultant (Derek Weiss) with specific experience with the current funding/financing programs for affordable housing to assist with delivering this project.
I appreciate the commitment and partnerships developed between the Town of Strathmore, Wheatland County, Wheatland County’s communities, and the WHMB.
All community members must be fully included in community life, and seniors’ housing needs to be in the heart of the community. This is demonstrated by the Town of Strathmore’s support and commitment by dedicating prime land for this project.
Wheatland County has indicated it would provide matching funds, equal to the value of land, to WHMB. This is fantastic news.
As always, we love to hear from you.
*The information in this article was provided by the Ministry Office as of Dec. 13, 2022. For more updated information, visit www.wheatlandhousing.ca under reports*
(Leela Sharon Aheer is the MLA Elect for Chestermere-Strathmore)