Leaving home isn’t easy under any circumstance, but imagine how tough it must be to leave your home for the very last time.
Ladner residents Cliff and Sheila Cox faced this daunting transition. They loved their close-knit community, where they easily made friends and relished visits from their children and grandchildren. Delta was the perfect place to put down roots after years of travel and adventure. Yet, after 54 years of marriage, both Cliff and Sheila had to surrender a lifetime of independence for a new life in others’ care.
First was Cliff. In 2015, he moved into Delta Hospital’s long term care facility, Mountain View Manor, while battling cancer. Sadly, he passed away less than two months later, only days before Christmas. Then, three years later, after suffering a stroke that left her unable to live independently, Sheila also moved to Mountain View Manor.
The staff went above and beyond to brighten Sheila’s days. They brought her fresh cut flowers, styled her hair for special occasions, and even organized a performance by her granddaughter’s musical theatre class. But their tireless efforts to provide comfort and care could only go so far.
Sharing a room with three other residents felt strange and often uncomfortable for Sheila, especially when her children and grandchildren would visit. She longed for the privacy and dignity afforded by a room of her own.
“It’s time for our elderly family members, who are anchors in all of our lives and who have built the community that we now live in, to spend their last years in a residence that meets all their needs,” says Kerri, Cliff and Sheila’s daughter.
Kerri couldn’t be more right. Mountain View Manor was built 45 years ago when long term care facilities were designed to maximize headcount instead of liveability, privacy and community.
All that is about to change, with support from people like you.
Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation is partnering with Fraser Health to deliver a brand new, 200 bed, state-of-the-art, long term care community for our beloved seniors. This will be a place for purposeful living, a place for new stories, and a place that truly feels like coming home.
This will be Delta Hospital’s largest infrastructure investment since 1980, and your contribution will play a critical role in helping us reach an ambitious fundraising goal.
This project hits a deeper, more personal nerve for Lisa Hoglund, CFRE Executive Director at Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation.
“It was very hard on my family when my mother Barb was diagnosed with Dementia, and when my father was no longer able to care for her at home. For almost eight years my mom was in a long term care facility on the outskirts of our community. I look back on that time and really wish she was closer to us. It would have been a lot easier to see her more often and fill her days with even more of our presence and love,” Hoglund says.
“Finally, we have the opportunity to build a more modern, innovative home that keeps our loved ones close to us in the heart of our community.”
In this new home, seniors will live in a supportive environment that promotes their mental and physical well-being, fosters meaningful connections, and maintains their independence for as long as possible.
Each resident will have a private room in a ‘household’ of 12 to 13 others, with dedicated social and recreational spaces, as well as outdoor areas. Other upgrades include community spaces and services for residents, families, visitors and staff.
“I’m also excited about the project’s 32-space adult day program for people living more independently. We’re launching this meaningful project at just the right time. Over the next decade, Delta’s senior population is set to surge by nearly 40%. With our aging population growing, we must take action now to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our seniors,” Hoglund adds.
This holiday season, you can help build a safe, comfortable and dignified community that our seniors can call home through your donations.
By donating, you’ll also help strengthen the entire Delta Hospital Campus of Care. Increasing space in long term care will free up hospital beds, allowing prompt access for those who need them most.
Make a gift in support of Delta seniors, their families and our entire community today at dhchfoundation.ca/holidaywishlist.
