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Good Samaritan Care Centre Replacement Facility
Since 1955, the Good Samaritan Society has been providing assisted and supportive living services for elderly clients, as well as those who are physically and mentally challenged. Now, with 31 residences that provide housing for over 3,000 individuals, the Society is celebrating its latest addition. The Good Samaritan Care Centre Replacement Facility in Stony Plain, Alberta is expanding, bringing this facility from 85 to 126 single - person units. "For many years, the continuing care industry has taken great steps to move away from an institutional setting and more towards a homey atmosphere that supports a feeling of independent lifestyle, while maintaining privacy," says Carla Gregor, president and CEO of the Good Samaritan Society. "The move - ins to the new centre in Stony Plain began in November 2011. All 85 residents from the old centre - which was built in the 1960s - transferred over to the new facility. Everyone was very excited and couldnt wait to get to their new homes. You dont really get a sense of how big the centre is until you get into it." She adds the grand entrance, with a large roof, provides protection from the elements as residents are coming and going. "It gives the building a very elegant look from the outside." This two - storey structure blended two projects, or phases, into one. Phase One - the existing cottage for 30 residents built in 2006 - serves as the spine for the three new wings, or neighbourhoods. The resulting footprint resembles a large E.1 "These neighbourhoods allow residents to interact with each other and with the staff in a more intimate setting," says Steve Fowler, executive director of government integration, Alberta Health Services. "Residents can also go to the other wings to visit friends in the building. Each floor has its own dining room, with food supplied from the main kitchen." Alberta Health Services is considered a partner in the actual operation of the Good Samaritan Care Centre -"Because it is considered a nursing home, Health Services professionals essentially place the residents in the facility, rather than people personally deciding thats where they want to live," says Fowler. "When seniors reaches a certain age and are facing challenges, they are assessed and the best course of action is determined for each individual. The health portion of the cost to live in continuing care is funded by Alberta Health Services." Built on the site of the former Stony Plain hospital, the updated Good Samaritan Centre, with 95,000 square feet of first - class care, backs onto single - family homes. To add to the ambience of the facility, mature trees previously on the hospital lot were maintained during construction, separating the project from the residential area. While there were some challenges in the development of plans for this Good Samaritan site, once construction began things went smoothly. "The original timeline was set aggressively to begin with, but the schedule was modified by the client due to evolving program requirements as the project progressed," says Don Davidson, principal, Stantec Architecture Ltd. "This was a result of changes in the government regulations for this type of care facility." The other issue the team overcame was the small footprint, in relation to the number of residents living in this centre. "The facility had to be designed to respect the existing landscape," says Davidson. "Phase One of the project, or the cottage, dictated the placement and location of the Phase Two addition, which required a great deal of big - picture planning. Strong connections for services are required between Phase One and Phase Two. All the dietary, shipping, receiving, and laundry services come in Phase Two, which requires placement and flow of these services to be in concert between the two phases, while maintaining the independence of the Phase One facility." Creative use of construction materials posed a challenge for the trades, but produced an end result they could all be proud of. "One of the more interesting design features is the fact that the building is serviced by four large H VAC units that were placed in the attic," says Shawn Gardener, project manager for Chandos Construction Ltd. "Each unit weighs approximately 10,000 pounds. To accommodate this, the complex was created with a concrete base and a significant amount of steel framing, finished with wood framing. The building is designed to minimize sound as well. Esthetically, it looks like a typical wood building, yet it has the strong steel framework." Adding to the comfortable feeling of the Good Samaritan Care Centre are outdoor garden areas. One of the resident courtyards is designed for dementia needs, and includes a wandering feature. "We have an inner courtyard that is nicely appointed, with a few other patio seating areas that are very relaxing," says Gregor. "Alternatively, in the summer we have outdoor events like barbecues or other social gatherings with others from the community. We also have large, multipurpose spaces so there will be occasions where we can accommodate large groups in one area." While the goal is to create a comfortable living area, safety is a primary consideration. "The other thing we have in the building is the dementia centre, which is a secure area to prevent residents from wandering and causing harm to themselves," says Gregor. With many participants involved to bring the Good Samaritan Care Centre Replacement Facility to fruition, teamwork was key. "The Good Samaritan Society is a group of very sophisticated and knowledgeable people, and we enjoyed working with them," says Davidson. "They have their own established guidelines and they have been incredibly supportive and collaborative throughout the process.
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