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Oneida gains long-term care Health Minister George Smitherman announced hundreds of new long-term care home beds for the London area yesterday, including a new 64-bed home at the Oneida Nation of the Thames. Smitherman was given a standing ovation by more than a hundred natives at Oneida when he officially told them their proposal for the home on the First Nation had been approved. "This really means a lot to us," Janice Doxtator, head of the Oneida long-term care home committee, said after the announcement. The community has worked for 14 years to have a long-term care home built that will provide 90 jobs and allow seniors to remain at Oneida instead of having to move to homes in London or St. Thomas, Doxtator said. Remaining at Oneida will mean the seniors will be able to maintain their language and connection with the community, something many are looking forward to, she said. "They will be able to participate in traditional ceremonies and traditional medicines," she said. Smitherman said the government has an obligation to provide an integrated health- care system that treats all people well, but First Nations have not always had good access to services. "When we have good strong communities that can be partners we should take advantage of that. That is what we have done here," Smitherman said. Part of a total investment of $45.6 million to develop 608 long-term beds in the London area, Smitherman also announced approval of 192 beds for the Homewood Corporation, 160 for PeopleCare Inc., and 192 beds for Henley Place Ltd. The new beds are projected to open by the end of 2010. Earlier yesterday, Smitherman attended the official opening of the London InterCommunity Health Centre's new satellite site on Huron Street at the Huron Heights Plaza. Executive director Michelle Hurtubise said the need for a facility in the northeast London community was identified 10 years ago. Other than walk-in clinics, there was only one family doctor providing health care, she said. The new facility includes nurses, physicians, social workers, dietitians, youth outreach workers and community workers. |