The Williams Lake Seniors Village is one of the thirty-one residential care homes in the Interior that will be receiving increased funding by the B.C. government to increase staffing and levels of direct care.
The Ministry of Health made the announcement Friday and said the Williams Lake Seniors Village will receive $271,000 in incremental funding for 2018/19.
The funds come from a $5.3 million dollar investment in senior care in the Interior as the first year of a three year plan to reach a target 3.36 care hours a day on average across health authorities by 2021.
Under the initiative, 77, 000 direct care hours were added as of September last year, across the 31 residential care homes across Interior Health.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the target of 3.36 hours was set in 2008, but by 2017, less than 3 in 20 homes met the standard.
“Interior Health is committed to providing a range of quality health services for seniors, including long-term care,” said Doug Cochrane, Board Chair of Interior Health.
“Through this investment, we will see additional staffing and care hours to further support the needs of this medically complex and vulnerable population.”
The increase in care hours means seniors will receive more help with dressing, bathing, eating or taking part in social activities.