The Wheatland Housing Management Board (WHMB) has always provided the municipalities with low-income housing for seniors, but with the Wheatland Lodge being built in the 1960’s it is believed to be outdated in structure and design. Since Wheatland County and Strathmore have been growing fast, there has been an urgent need for more senior housing.  

Since the need continues to grow, Chair of the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society Dr. Joni McNeely explains that community members need to be informed of the WHMB building committee’s latest consultations and reports. There will be 6 community presentations, with the first one starting on March 27 at the Strathmore Library. 

“It's very exciting because these presentations are the next step that the Wheatland Housing Management Body and Wheatland and Area Hospice Society are taking to push forward the funding, the finance and further planning of the Lodge and Hospice.” 

Dr. McNeely explains when it comes to making a hospice there needs to be another senior lodge that is also put into place, and the planned hospice care would be within the seniors' home. 

“Most new hospices are partnering with long-term care or lodge facilities throughout Alberta. We're replicating a model promoted by Alberta Health."

"Joint funding and as well their operations have less impact when they're shared between organizations and it's nice to have synergy with other groups that share the same goals, such as compassion and care.” 

If a new lodge is built the old lodge wouldn't be torn down, there are no plans to decommission the old building at the moment.  

On April 21, Dr McNeely will be part of a community educational series called Dying2Learn that was paused because of the COVID19 Pandemic. The series will have three important guests that will discuss hospice care.  

The first is Pansy Angevine who is the RN Manager at Dulcina Hospice, and she is also the past president of the Alberta Hospice Palliative Care Association. The second guest will be Dr. Jim Hanson who is one of the board members of the Foothills Country Hospice Society and the third guest will be Keith Clayton who is part of the Wheatland Housing Building Committee. 

“Wheatland Housing Management Body is currently in the first phase where they hired a project manager last week. One of their first tasks is to direct the proposal forward to the provincial and federal funding program and here at home, we must get letters of support from all the Councils to get that moving.” 

Dr. McNeely says we all can agree that senior care and hospice is a very worthy cause that the entire community is responsible for. 

“I think that both of these buildings are concrete examples of our care and compassion of each other in our communities.”  

For more information for the need for a hospice in our community click here

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