By Gordon Lambie
Local Journalism Initiative
The CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS, the Eastern Townships’ regional health authority, broke ground on the first of the new “maison des aînés” model of alternative care homes on Monday. Work on the new facility, which is located at the intersection of Southière street and route 112, should begin this week and is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2022.
According to Danika Manseau, the Director of programs for intellectual impairment, autism spectrum disorders, and physical disabilities for the CIUSSS, the Magog facility will offer 48 spaces, with a clientele that is split half-and half between seniors and adults with physical or intellectual impairments, or who have autism spectrum disorders.
“We are very happy with this new environment, which has really been planned out with the aim of making residents feel at home,” Manseau said, noting that Quebec does not currently have spaces designed specifically to serve people other than seniors when it comes to long-term care.
“Right now, the only place we have for long term care is in senior care facilities,” said Robin Marie Coleman, the deputy CEO of the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS. “It’s not adapted to their specific needs.”
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