Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Dec 04/98) - By the end of January 1999, at the latest, three groups cared for by the Inuvik regional health board are set to experience better living conditions.

Elders who need care will live at the Inuvik Regional Hospital. Young adults who are both mentally and physically disabled will move from the hospital's long-term care unit to the Charlotte Vehus facility. And mentally disabled residents of the Charlotte Vehus facility will move to a new group home still under construction.

Currently, elders and severely disabled young adults are both living in the hospital's long-term care unit.

"It's not quality of life for either group when you mix two groups like that," says the hospital's director of client services Joan Connors.

She says there are 16 residents currently living in long-term care and five are set to move to the Charlotte Vehus facility.

Charlotte Vehus also has respite beds to accommodate children who are cared for in private homes, but whose care givers may periodically want to get a break and go out on the land for a month, for example.

Kerrie Neilly, who manages Charlotte Vehus, says the facility was built for medical capabilities far in excess of what it is currently being used for.

Further, for the current residents with fetal alcohol syndrome, down syndrome and other developmental delays, she says the building is more a facility than a home.

The new six-bedroom, one-floor group home on Semmler Drive will look much like neighbouring homes, though it will have a wheelchair ramp going up the front, Neilly says.

"It'll be a good move for all of them. Long-term care is for the elders and the younger clients are a kind of load," she says.

"It'll free up beds in long-term care for elders who need to move in there."

The move also creates area employment as eight registered nurse and licensed practical nurse positions could open up, Neilly says.

The facility is also likely to hire an activity aide and a housekeeper.