‘Our infrastructure is failing:’ After over 50 years, Elmwood prepares residents moving to new homes

All 30 residents at Elmwood Residences will be moving within the next three to five years.

The group home for those with intellectual disabilities will be closing its Kinsmen Manor doors within that time frame, opening another to move to a series of homes — all tailored to the needs of each individual person.

“There’s a number of reasons why Elmwood is evolving in this direction. First and foremost, it is considered best practice to support people in smaller, more accessible, and personalized homes,” Rachael Steinke, the executive director, told 650 CKOM.

“We want to continue to deliver the scope and scale of services that we’ve always delivered.”

The group home put a permanent closure on its admissions in 2017, taking into account the age of their existing residents, and planning for this new delivery of services.

It wasn’t just the specific needs of the residents that pushed the move, however.

“The other piece of this is … Kinsmen Manor was built in 1969 … our infrastructure is failing. We’ve been band-aiding it together, as best we can for about the last ten years. This is an opportunity to create homes that are fully accessible and will meet — in the longer term — the physical needs of each resident to support aging in place and continuity of care,” Steinke explained.

“We have some leaky rooves and some things like that. But the other thing that I think is important to know, is when you’re in a larger setting, it is more challenging for residents to be a part of their lives.”

The smaller homes will be built to house four residents at a time. They will be able to help to the best of their own capabilities within the homes, with Steinke using examples of choosing what they want for lunch, making lunches, helping grocery shop, folding their own laundry and making their own beds.

“It allows us a better opportunity to support people rather than to care for people,” she said.

“When we’re looking at designing these homes, we’re really designing them around the individuals.”

Elmwood Residences executive director Rachael Steinke. (elmwoodyxe.ca)

The process is expected to take up to five years to be complete. The team at Elmwood is working with occupational therapists, the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and the Ministry of Social Services to ensure the design does meet the needs of the residents.

“If they need a special tub, if they need certain tracking, if they need a certain turning radius to support them to self mobilize around that home — that is all contemplated as part of this initiative,” Steinke said.

The move is expected to be housed within newly built homes, so Elmwood is now looking into large lots around the east end of Saskatoon.

The Kinsmen Manor will serve as the main hub of services for Elmwood until the project is finished.

It’s too early to tell what the final costs of the new initiative will be, said both Steinke and the Ministry of Social Services, who fund 95 per cent of the home’s operational costs.

Steinke said the move will also be funded by the Ministry.

Bob Martinook is the Executive Director of the Community Living Service Delivery with the Ministry of Social Services.

He said the Ministry has been working with Elmwood over the past year with the change. He adds that it includes a staged approach over multiple years, requiring capital development and an evolution in Elmwood’s current service model.

“We’re committed to doing this right,” Steinke added. “We’ll take the time to work, and do it properly and support residents through this change, to support their families through this change and make sure we’re building something really great, together.”