VERNON, B.C. — Vernon’s newest residential care facility is filling up.
The Hamlets on 29th Avenue downtown has been open since mid September.
The six story building — which has been under construction since February 2016 — towers over the downtown.
The development cost 36 million dollars.
H and H Total Care chief operating officer Hendrik Van Ryk says the first to occupy were those in residential care.
“We are at about two-thirds of the residents coming into our funded beds, and we just actually had our first residents move into our assisted living,” Van Ryk tells Kiss FM.
The 100 residential care beds — which are in partnership with Interior Health — are taking some pressure off Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
“There is strong interest even on the private pay side. We’ve had a number of residents — up to four or five — that have moved in with us,” says Van Ryk.
Van Ryk says they’ve hired about 125 staff, despite the local labour shortage.
“We’ve done okay staffing wise. I was a little nervous about a year ago when we started doing our recruitment. I was a little worried about care aid availability, but — knock on wood — it’s been good.”
The Hamlets is constructed on the former Bennett parking lot site which was purchased from the City of Vernon.
