File Photo (Image Credit: Q101 Merritt)

By Michael Reeve / Q-101 Merritt

Long-term care

The Florentine in Merritt giving up complex care licence

May 7, 2021 | 10:46 AM

MERRITT, B.C. — The Florentine in Merritt has announced that the facility will be giving up its complex care licence.

“After spending two years in planning and 2 years of construction to build the best possible age in place seniors home, I had to make the agonizing decision to give up our Complex Care Licence. We have operated the facility in excess of 13 years. The last couple of years has been most challenging,” reads a Facebook post from Florentine ownership.

“The loss of age in place facility for Merritt goes against what I contemplated back in 2004. It will be a big impact on the community. We offered the Government the opportunity to purchase the facility but there has not been any response from either IHA or the Ministry of Health on the topic,” continued the statement.

The move comes after the Interior Health (IH) Authority assigned an administrator to the facility.

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On March 23, IH announced it was taking over day-to-day operations at the Florentine.

Medical Health Officer Dr. Carol Fenton recommended the administrator takeover to the board.

Fenton made the recommendation after IH’s Licensing Officer and Quality Review Team conducted a review process, determining the private operator “was unable meet the legislated standards of care for residents.”

More to come