The municipality of Chatham-Kent is preparing to work with the province to keep long-term care beds accessible in Tilbury.
Arch Corporation Long Term Care, which owns Tilbury Manor Nursing Home, has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Long-Term Care (MLTC) to move the Tilbury beds to Lakeshore as part of a redevelopment plan that would create a new 160-bed long-term care home in Belle River.
A motion put forward by Ward 1 Councillor Melissa Harrigan passed at Monday night's Chatham-Kent council meeting, directing municipal staff to work with the MLTC, the owner of Tilbury Manor, and prospective buyers to ensure readiness for someone else to take over the current facility if the province approves the proposal put forward by Arch Corporation.
"It's seeming quite clear that there has been a series of announcements around some shifts in allocations," said Harrigan. "To be honest, this doesn't really bode well for the residents of Tilbury who are losing a long-term care home in their community that is within walking distance to their loved ones."
Councillor Harrigan said the work will focus on the community and ensure adequate access to rural health care for seniors in Chatham-Kent.
"I encourage folks to write into the ministry with support for rural health care," added General Manager of Community Human Services, April Rietdyk. "The most important thing that I have learned over the last couple of weeks, is that this is a loss to rural health care for those residents and families in Tilbury."
The consultation period for Arch Corporation's proposal to the MLTC ends July 4, 2021. The public can participate in this consultation by emailing LTCHomes.Licensing@ontario.ca or by mailing submissions to Director under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, Ministry of Long-Term Care Capital Planning Branch, 1075 Bay Street, 11th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2B1. The name of the long-term care home and project number, 21-020 should be included on all written submissions.
