The owner and operator of Broadacres Care Facility has applied for registration as an assisted living facility after being passed over in a residential care facility request for proposals by the Interior Health Authority (IHA) last year.
Rod Gustafson, proprietor of Broadacres and a retired registered nurse, explained that he had applied to become an assisted living residence through the Registrar of Assisted Living in Victoria, B.C. several weeks ago. The application process also includes a phone interview.
“Broadacres is in the process of being registered as an Assisted Living facility much the same as Boundary Lodge,” he added.
“If everything goes well, we should be able to get registered and we can start advertising and bring patients in,” he said.
Mayor Brian Taylor is glad to hear that Broadacres may see some future use and pointed out that there is a gap in assisted care facilities in Grand Forks.
“If you look at a graduated series of health care, the most expensive and most complex would be something we’ve been calling residential or complex care,” he explained. “The next step up is assisted living, and above that is supported or independent living. The names get confusing for people, but if you look at it as stepping up, assisted living becomes the centre piece.”
Taylor pointed out that the additional beds at Silver Kettle Village would provide more space for residential and supported living.
The beds at Boundary Lodge will also fill the gap in the centre with assisted living, but the additional beds at Broadacres will help, he added.
“Looking at (assisted living) portion, it would seem to be an optimal area to provide some level of alternatives to going from supported living to going straight into residential care,” Taylor said. “Everything is different for each stage of care in terms of levels of service, support and cost.”
It will take up to 60 days for Gustafson to hear back from the registrar for approval; after which he can begin advertising for interested patients.
“The last two years has been very difficult for my family and I,” he explained. “Firstly with being unsuccessful to work along with the Interior Health Authority to provide complex residential care in our facility and secondly, being unsuccessful with winning the funding contract for 40 (residential) beds.”
Gustafson is happy to note Grand Forks will be receiving beds through Golden Life Management and its new Silver Kettle Village residential care facility located on 72nd Avenue and 25th Street. Health care and senior health care in the area has been a hot button topic, with many in the area voicing concerns.
Christine Thompson, chair of the local Concerned Citizens for Community Health Care group, has been pushing for a meeting with IHA officials and is happy to hear that Broadacres is making the application.
She believes Broadacres will be a benefit to the community.
“I sincerely hope that (Gustafson) is successful to get the licensing,” Thompson said. “It’s a beautiful facility and one that is just sitting there not being utilized for anything at this point.”
In April 2011, Gustafson received a letter from Interior Health (IH) stating that it would not fund beds at his Broadacres Care Facility despite a request for proposals for 40 residential senior care beds that it made in December 2010.
Gustafson said he was not happy with the verdict seeing as he made a significant investment in the Carson Road care facility, including renovations and the installation of geothermal heating as well.
“It’s certainly a shame to have that facility not be used. If he can find a niche to find some clientele for assisted living, it could work out very well for everyone,” concluded Taylor.
Located on Carson Road, Broadacres was built in the 1960s and originally operated as a major dairy farm in the valley.
In 2004, Gustafson purchased the property and began a six-year renovation process.
Gustafson is still waiting for the food permit to arrive to be submitted but hopes to receive word by the end of May.
As for the public meeting with IHA, Thompson said that the meeting is still on track for a date of May 23 but the time is still pending.