Tag Archives: Leader

Featured, News Release

First Renovated Wing Completed in Leader as Capital Construction Project Continues

The capital expansion project in Leader, including various renovations and enhancements to the interior of the existing long-term care side of the facility, continues to reach new construction milestones and remains on schedule to open its doors as the Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility in summer 2018.

The first of three wings to undergo renovations at the Western Senior Citizens Home was completed on October 27 with residents re-occupying the wing on October 30.  The completed work included safety improvements with the installation of ceiling lifts, a new handheld nurse call system, and improved hand rails.  New LED lighting, paint, curtains, and flooring were also installed. The small-house model of care is being introduced, promoting resident choice and addressing known challenges with traditional long-term care delivery models such as loneliness and boredom.

Edna Dieterle and Art Trautwein, residents at the Western Senior Citizens Home, expressed their satisfaction.

“We are pleased with the new renovations. The rooms seem to be bigger and we like the new dining area that is smaller with fewer people. It allows for good conversation and a feeling of closeness,” they shared.

“The ten residents to move back into our first completed wing were very happy to see their new space and were excited with their new kitchen and dining areas,” commented Brenda Schwan, Vice President Continuing Care and Capital Project Lead.  “Residents have found the new look to be fresh and the atmosphere very welcoming.”

Renovation work has now shifted to the west wing and nursing station area. Each wing takes approximately 10-12 weeks for renovations to be completed.

Meanwhile the $12 million capital construction attached to the Western Senior Citizens Home continues to progress. Recent activity has included the installation of roof cap sheeting to create a water tight surface, ongoing ductwork, electrical, and plumbing services including mechanical systems, and the final enclosures of the building including exterior door installations.  The majority of internal wall studding has been completed and gypsum boarding (drywall) is scheduled to begin next week.  External cladding is also being installed.

When the expansion project and renovation work is completed the facility will be renamed, as decided by community members, the Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility.  It will be the sole location of all of the community’s health services bringing together acute care, emergency medical services, community health services, primary health care, and long-term care.  The facility’s design incorporates input from staff, physicians, patients, and family representatives.

A construction camera remains in place to document progress and captures a new birds-eye image of the site every 15 minutes.

Western Senior Citizens Home after renovations completed
Western Senior Citizens Home before renovations completed
The new dining and kitchen area promotes a small-house model of care delivery
Interior photo of the capital construction project, showing completed steel stud work
Alert, Featured

Wild Fire and Evacuation Situation – Leader Long Term Care Residents Return to Western Senior Citizens Home

Update: 2:05pm October 19

All residents have arrived back in Leader safely and are settling in!

Our emergency operations centre has been revoked.

Update: 11:00am October 19

Great news! With power back on and all necessary clearances now in place, long term care residents from Leader are now able to return home to the Western Senior Citizens Home.  Our plans to transport residents are underway.  We anticipate everyone to be home safe and sound sometime between 12:00pm and 2:00pm.

Plans are also being finalized to return acute inpatients back to the Leader Hospital when medically able to do so.  The status of returning all hospital patients back to Leader will be handled case-by-case.

We thank our patients, residents, family members, staff, and others involved in this evacuation situation for the patience and understanding that has been extended.  While this situation was not ideal, safety is always our top priority.

Update: 1:25pm October 18

We have made the decision that long term care residents of the Western Senior Citizens Home in Leader will remain at The Meadows in Swift Current for the remainder of Wednesday including overnight.  This will be re-evaluated on Thursday morning to determine when it is safe to return to Leader.

Power outages are still in place in many areas of southwest Saskatchewan including Leader.  Timelines for power to be restored are not currently known.

The safety of our residents and staff is the top priority.  It is safest to remain in Swift Current until power is fully restored.

Our health facilities are equipped with backup generators to provide short term emergency power supply in the event of outage. Backup generators are not stable power sources and cannot be relied on for extended periods of time.

We recognize that being away from home for any longer than necessary is not ideal.  We will relocate long term care residents back to the Western Senior Citizens Home as soon as is safe to do so.

Residents will continue to be cared for, including food, drink, medications, and other necessities, by staff from The Meadows and some staff from Leader who have travelled with residents.

Update: 12:05pm, October 18

The Leader Hospital has re-opened with limited services. Emergency outpatient services are now available. Dial 9-1-1 in medical emergency.

Update: 10:20am, October 18

Evacuations in Leader and Burstall are removed, however power is still out in Leader and may be for some time. We are working on plans to re-open the Leader Hospital as soon as possible. Emergency services remain available by dialing 9-1-1.

Update: 9:10am, October 18

We are continuing to evaluate the Leader evacuation and the next steps for long term care residents and hospital patients who were brought to Swift Current. Updates will be provided throughout the day today.

We emphasize that all long term care residents and hospital patients are safe. Family members of evacuated long term care residents may call 306-770-2100 for more information on their loved one.

Update: 8:50 am

Forest Fire Smoke and Your Health Fact Sheet

Updates will continue to be shared on our social media channels and on our website.

Update: 11:50pm

We will continue to monitor the wild fire situation throughout the night. We will contact all long term care resident family members Wednesday morning to provide an update on loved ones. Some staff from Leader have travelled into Swift Current with our residents and will be with them throughout the night.

Our medical health officer, occupational health, and public health staff will continue to monitor the situation at our health facilities in Leader. We will look to transport long term care residents and hospital patients back to Leader as soon as it is safe to do so.

Updates will continue to be shared on our social media channels and on our website.

Update: 9:55pm

All long term care residents and hospital patients from Leader, who were evacuated due to the wild fires near Burstall and area, have arrived safely in Swift Current and are settling in.

We continue to monitor the active wild fire situation and are continuing with our emergency operations centre.

Update: 8:15pm

Our facilities in Leader have been safely evacuated.  The Leader Hospital is currently closed.  Anyone remaining in the area with a medical emergency is asked to dial 9-1-1.

Arrangements are in place at The Meadows and Cypress Regional Hospital to receive the long term care residents and hospital patients that are in transport.

See below for prior information and details.

Update: 6:15pm

The Town of Leader is also being evacuated due to wildfire.

We are immediately evacuating all long term care residents at the Western Senior Citizens Home in Leader and acute inpatients at the Leader Hospital.

All long term care residents and hospital inpatients are being safely transported out of Leader.

Long term care residents from Leader are being transported to The Meadows in Swift Current.  Acute inpatients from the Leader Hospital are being transported by ambulance to the Cypress Regional Hospital in Swift Current.  Family members are being contacted directly.

More information will be posted as it’s available.

http://emergencyalert.saskatchewan.ca/alerts/2017/10/3225.html

Original post:

The community of Burstall is under an immediate evacuation order due to a wild fire.

We have evoked our Emergency Operations Centre to respond to the emergency.  Plans are underway.

Updates will be posted to this page as they are available.

For the latest details on the emergency alert please visit the Saskatchewan emergency alerts page.

Featured, News Release

Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility Update

Advancements continue on construction project in Leader

The capital expansion project in Leader is reaching new milestones within the construction process and continues to be on track to open in summer 2018.

Construction activity in initial areas is as much as 80% complete, including framing and roof trusses in the acute care wing. Other notable progress is 30% completion of roof sheeting and the beginning of window installation. Work is ongoing in the areas of drywall and cement board, mechanical and electrical, Styrofoam insulation in exterior walls, Blueskin composite membrane around window and door openings, and walls and trusses for the ambulance bay. Delivery of wall and roof cladding is scheduled for the near future.

“When one looks back over the past four months, construction has taken us from an empty shell with only cement pilings visible to the near completed exterior shell and mezzanine that we see today,” noted Brenda Schwan, Capital Lead and Vice President of Continuing Care for the Cypress Health Region. “The exterior shape of the facility is now distinctly visible and we are all excited to see the project move through the various construction phases towards eventual completion.”

A construction camera remains in place to document progress and captures a new birds-eye image of the site every 15 minutes. The high resolution images may be viewed at any time on the Cypress Health Region website at www.cypresshealth.ca.

Renovation work is continuing on the interior of the existing Western Senior Citizens Home. The renovations include safety improvements such as the installation of ceiling lifts, a new handheld nurse call system, and improved hand rails. A new electronic charting system is being installed that will further improve resident safety and staff communication. Aesthetic improvements will add new LED lighting, paint, curtains, and flooring. It is anticipated that the first of three wings to be renovated will be completed and ready for occupancy as early as the end of October.

The renovations will transform the existing long term care facility into three 10-bed homes. The new model, known as the small house model, focuses care on resident choice and aims to reduce known challenges with more traditional models of care such as loneliness and boredom.
In anticipation of the small house model being introduced, variable breakfasts have been implemented for residents who are temporarily occupying a wing at the Leader Hospital during renovations. Variable breakfasts allow residents to begin their day when they wish to. Continuing Care Aide staff are preparing and serving breakfast to residents when they choose to wake up. The care team is also actively working on preparations for a new electronic health record system that will be introduced in the facility when the first 10-bed home is complete.

When the expansion project and renovation work is completed the facility will be renamed, as decided by community members, the Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility. The facility will be the sole location of all of the community’s health services. The integration of services will bring together acute care, emergency medical services, community health services, primary health care, and long term care via the existing Western Senior Citizens Home. The facility’s design incorporates input from staff, physicians, patients, and family representatives.

Progress from April to August 2017

April 2017
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June 2017
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August 2017
Featured, News Release

Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility

Community vote leads to new name for capital project in Leader

The Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility is the name of the new integrated facility being constructed in Leader. The Cypress Regional Health Authority (CRHA) passed a motion at its May 31 meeting to officially accept the community’s recommendation for the new name.

An opportunity to collect community feedback to help decide the name was recently led by the Leader Trust Advisory Committee. Community members were encouraged to complete an online survey or submit a paper vote and indicate their preference from a list of two possible names – the Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility or the SaskRiver Integrated Healthcare Facility. The results indicated overwhelming support for the Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility option.

“This facility will serve a large geographical area in Leader and surrounding communities and there was no better way to decide the permanent name for the completed facility than by asking those who will use it each and every day,” commented Tim Geiger, Chair of the Leader Trust Advisory Committee. “We received many votes through the online and paper options and it was very obvious that the community wanted to include Leader and District in the name of the facility. We thank the Cypress Regional Health Authority Board for accepting the recommended name and we look forward to the completion of the Leader and District Integrated Healthcare Facility.”

The $12 million capital project is being constructed adjacent to the existing Western Senior Citizens Home and includes the attachment of acute care, community health services, primary health care, and ambulance services. When complete, the two facilities will be connected to form an integrated facility that will house all of the community’s health services.

A construction camera has been installed on-site and is documenting progress. A new photo is captured every 15 minutes and viewers can scroll back in time to look at previously captured images. The construction camera is available any time of day on the Cypress Health Region website at www.cypresshealth.ca.

 

Featured, News Release

Construction Underway in Leader

Capital Project to Expand Western Senior Citizens Home Underway

The construction site adjacent to the Western Senior Citizens Home in Leader, SK is now a hub of activity as construction crews have mobilized and started to create a strong foundation for the $12 million expansion project.

Contractors and sub-contractors of Wright Construction Western have fenced off the construction area and welcomed the first trade, the pilings contractor, on site January 31.  Pilings are deep cylindrical holes dug into the ground that are then filled with strong materials, such as concrete, to provide a strong foundation for a structure to be built on top of them.  Piling work has been taking place throughout February and is anticipated to be completed by the end of month (depending on frost depths).  After the completion of pilings, construction of grade beams will closely follow with grade beam materials now beginning to arriving on-site.

“It is obviously very exciting to see crews on site beginning to construct this much needed project that will bring all of the community’s health services under one roof,” noted Brenda Schwan, Capital Lead and Vice President of Continuing Care for Cypress Health.  “This project has been a priority for our Region and the entire community for the past several years.  Seeing it now progress to the beginning stages of construction is a very satisfying achievement for everyone involved.”

Originally announced in September, 2014, the project will result in all health services available in the Town of Leader being offered in a single, integrated facility.  Currently health services are divided between the existing Western Senior Citizens Home, the Leader Hospital, the Leader Primary Health Care site, and a separate ambulance garage. The expansion will include universal care treatments rooms, a therapies suite, acute care inpatient rooms, one isolation room offering a new service to the community that is not currently available, one trauma/emergency room, lab/x-ray service centre, and EMS.

Planning and design work for the expansion has been completed with collaborative input from project partners including aodbt architecture, Leader health services staff, physicians, patient and family representatives, primary health care clinic team members, community members, and others.  A series of quality improvement tools have been used in the design’s development including a Value Stream Mapping event held in December 2014 and a 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) event held in January, 2015.  Combined with earlier development work, these have led to an inclusive design that will meet the needs of all users.

“In our planning stages we looked at things like flows of patients moving throughout the facility, walking distances for staff, and how best to maximize the new spaces so that rooms and supplies are in the locations that make the most sense,” added Schwan.  “In the end we have a design that we are very confident will meet the needs of the community for many years to come and we look forward to continuing to watch as the facility is built.”

The project is funded through the traditional 80/20 split funding formula with the provincial government contributing $9.6 million towards the project with the remaining $2.4 million raised by local municipalities.  The Region extends its appreciation to the government and the many municipalities who have contributed their share while also providing funding for necessary equipment and furnishing costs.

The anticipated construction completion date of the project is in the summer of 2018.

An on-site construction camera has been ordered and will be installed in the very near future.  The camera will be located at the construction site, capturing and archiving images of the expansion project as it is erected. Once installed the camera will be posted on the Health Region’s website and will be available for viewing 24 hours per day.

Featured, News Release

Construction to Begin on New Integrated Health Care Facility in Leader, SK

Construction on the new Leader Integrated Health Care Facility will begin in December, following the awarding of the construction tender to Wright Construction Western Inc. today.

“The Leader area has been a great partner in working to get this project to fruition,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Greg Ottenbreit said.  “Our government is committed to this important facility, which will improve patient access, enhance patient experience and ensure high-quality health care services for the people of the community.”

The capital project has experienced some delays, with the initial call for tenders cancelled in January 2016 due to significantly higher construction costs than originally anticipated.  The project’s second call for tenders was initiated this fall.

“The delay in the tendering process was unfortunate, but it resulted in additional planning and design work that has provided options to bring construction costs down to meet the available budget for the project,” Cypress Health Region CEO Beth Vachon said.  “The re-design process continued to involve patients, staff and stakeholders to ensure the new facility will integrate all of Leader’s health care services into one comprehensive facility that meets the needs of the community.  We are very excited for residents of Leader and surrounding area.”

The $12 million capital project will expand the existing Western Senior Citizens Home long-term care facility to include acute care, community health services, primary health care and ambulance services.

The provincial government is contributing $9.6 million toward the project, which represents 80 per cent of total project costs.  Local funding will cover the remaining 20 per cent.

Construction on the new integrated health care facility is expected to begin in December, with an anticipated completion date in early 2018.

(Saskatchewan Ministry of Health News release – link: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2016/november/03/leader-health-facility)
Featured, News Release

Planning Continues for Leader Capital Project

The Cypress Health Region is continuing planning and design work on the previously announced capital construction project in Leader. The project remains a top priority of the Cypress Health Region.

“We have experienced some unfortunate delays due to construction costs that came in higher than expected, however we want to reaffirm our commitment to this important project,” commented Brenda Schwan, Vice President – Continuing Care and Capital Project Lead for Cypress Health. “We are working very hard to ensure that this project can be delivered within the available capital budget and are looking forward to integrating all of Leader’s health services into a comprehensive facility.”

Since an announcement in January that the initial call for tenders was cancelled due to higher than anticipated construction costs, health region staff have been working collaboratively with project partners and stakeholders to create a revised design. This work includes extensive consultations with the project’s architectural partner, aodbt architecture + interior design, to identify potential revisions that will reduce the overall cost while not affecting the provision of health programs and services.

“The design revisions that are being completed still incorporate the valuable feedback that we received from staff, physicians, community members, municipal stakeholders, patient representatives, and others. The revisions have also factored in how construction can be completed in a more cost effective way. We are confident that we can finalize a revised design that fits within the project’s budget,” added Schwan.

The health region is currently working to complete a new submission to the Ministry of Health that includes drawings, specifications, and updated budget figures. Following that the finalized drawings will be submitted to allow for a new tender to be issued. It is anticipated that the updated design could be ready for tendering in the coming months.

The Leader capital project includes the addition of acute care, emergency medical services, and a universal care unit to the existing Western Senior Citizens Home. The $12 million project will result in a continuum of health services within one integrated facility.

To read more information on the project please visit the Building Excellence in Rural Health – Leader webpage.

Featured, News Release

Leader Health Care Facility Integration Process Delayed

Planning and design work for the integration of health care facilities in the community of Leader have been ongoing for many months. Discussions and design efforts have included representatives from the Leader health services staff, patient and/or family individuals, members of the architectural team, community stakeholders, and the Cypress Health Region.

A call for construction tenders was recently distributed and there was significant interest expressed from a variety of bidding companies. However, when the tender proposals were opened, it was discovered that the lowest tender was substantially higher than the budgeted capital construction amount approved by the provincial Ministry of Health.

Since the initial review of the tender documents, the Cypress Health Region has had discussions with the Ministry of Health and the project’s architectural partner, AODBT Architecture, to identify the next steps in the process. It was determined that a further detailed review of the submitted tenders will be undertaken in an attempt to identify any efficiencies.

As a result of this delay in the construction tender award process, the scheduled official sod turning event on November 13th has been postponed until further notice. It will be rescheduled in the future.

“Along with the staff, municipal partners, and community we are very disappointed with the results of the call for tenders,” said Brenda Schwan, Cypress Health’s Vice President of Human Resources and Capital Projects. “However, we want to emphasize that the project has not been cancelled and this is merely a bump in the road towards the start of construction on our health facility integration capital project.”

Schwan added that the health region will continue to work with its project partners and the Leader project planning committee members to move the project forward towards the start of construction. “Together with the Ministry of Health, we remain committed and want to see this capital project move forward so that the overall patient care experience can be enhanced with health services all under one roof.”

The proposed capital project included the addition of acute care, ambulance/emergency medical services and universal care unit, along with renovations to the existing Western Senior Citizens Home to accommodate the integration of health services. It was anticipated that construction would begin in November 2015 and that the project would be complete in the summer of 2017. The project will result in a continuum of health services being located under one roof at the current location of the Western Senior Citizens Home.

As more updates are available in relation to the progress and status of the construction tender process, they will be passed along to the staff and public.

Featured, News Release

Leader Project Moves to Call for Construction Tenders Phase

With the start of construction for the integration of health facilities in the community of Leader just around the corner, the Cypress Health Region has received Ministry of Health approval to release the tender documents for the construction/renovation for the new integrated facility. The call for tenders was released on September 15th and will conclude on October 15th.

The ‘call for tenders’ process will allow potential General Contractors to finalize their construction proposal in relation to overall project cost, timelines for completion, strategies for attaining the objectives of the integrated facility’s model of care, and other relevant construction issues. The contractors will be expected to have a strong collaborative partnership with Cypress Health and the Ministry of Health during the construction process.

“We are very appreciative of the community and staff’s continuing excitement for the start of construction,” stated Brenda Schwan, Vice President of Human Resources and Capital Projects for the Cypress Health Region. “This call for construction tenders is one of the last major steps prior to the start of construction and we are looking forward to finalizing the General Contractor who will be a vital partner of our project team during the next two years.”

The bids will be publicly opened on October 16th. They will be reviewed and evaluated by the Project Team, which will be followed by an approximate 1-2 week timeline for the Ministry of Health and Cypress Health Region to approve and award the contract. Discussions with the successful General Contractor regarding the initiation of the next steps will begin immediately after the award is completed. It is anticipated that on-site construction will begin in early November 2015.

The construction project will consist of an addition to the existing Western Senior Citizens Home and related renovations to the existing building to accommodate the addition. Features of the project will include:

  • 11 universal care unit treatment rooms – physicians, nurse practitioner, public health, community and mental health, home care, and visiting professional services will be located in this area. The programming for this area is based on a new model of care which encourages deeper collaboration between health providers and reduces the amount of locations one has to travel to in order to receive a continuum of health services.
  • Therapies suite
  • 5 acute care inpatient rooms
  • 1 isolation acute care room – will serve as a new service not currently available at the Leader Hospital
  • 1 trauma/emergency bed
  • Laboratory and x-ray service
  • 1 family overnight suite
  • A new 12-bed long term care wing will be constructed to replace an existing Western Seniors Citizens Home wing, which will be renovated to provide other services in the integrated facility. During the period that the new long term care wing will be built, affected residents will be temporarily relocated into a dedicated area of the Leader Hospital.

Schwan added that the staff, patient family representatives, and community members have been very busy over the past several months in finalizing the facility design and construction parameters. “Their dedication to designing the little extras will go a long way to ensuring that the care offered in the facility will be as effective as possible,” stated Schwan. “The input of the staff and others has been tremendous and well
received.”

Construction is anticipated to be complete by summer 2017.

News Release

Progress Made on Design of New Integrated Facility in Leader

Following a successful week-long planning event in January that saw Leader health services staff and patient/family representatives explore options for the design of the community’s new integrated health facility, significant progress is being made to move the project planning through its early phases.

The creative 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) planning event held in January established basic adjacencies between departments and services, where the input of health services staff was essential in determining the best interior blueprint to maximize the patient flows and their health care experience. The overall design option selected included the addition of a third long term care wing which will be constructed between the existing north and west wings.

Following up on the efforts of the 3P team, the ‘schematic design’ phase began in early February. Members of the health services and design team travelled to Maple Creek to tour the acute care and universal care unit areas of the soon-to-be-open Southwest Integrated Healthcare Facility (SIHF).

“Seizing the opportunity for the staff to tour and review the layout of the Maple Creek facility was very timely in our design planning for Leader,” said Brenda Schwan, Vice President of Human Resources and Capital Project Lead. “They had a chance to see how the patients would flow through the programs and departments, and use that real-life-size information to make adjustments to the Leader design. This is another example of how we can use another community’s success to better the future programming in a separate community.”

Further discussions with the architects led to the final schematic design meeting on March 2. Following this, the interior adjacencies for wall placements, location of each desired space and room, and the coordination of all spaces were confirmed. The ‘design development’ phase is expected to begin on March 17, where the architect will expand upon the schematic design processes to develop more detailed drawings illustrating other aspects of the proposed design.

A variety of tenders have been awarded to the capital project partners that will be actively engaged in the design and construction planning process. In addition to aodbt architecture and interior design who was awarded the architectural services contract, Altus Geomatics (site survey), P. Machibroda Engineering (geotechnical services), and Golder Associates (hazardous materials) were the successful tenders for their respective Request for Proposals (RFP). The project’s general construction contractor RFP is expected to be released in summer 2015.

Construction on the new integrated facility is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2015 and it is expected to open its doors in the fall of 2016. The approved capital project will see a physical addition built onto the Western Senior Citizen’s Home which will see acute care, long term care, primary health care clinic, community health services, home care, and ambulance services included under one roof.