Ontario Unveils New Behavioural Specialized Unit at Kipling Acres
ETOBICOKE, ON — In a significant step towards enhancing long-term care for seniors, the Ontario government has inaugurated a 17-bed Behavioural Specialized Unit (BSU) at Kipling Acres long-term care home. This new unit aims to provide tailored care for residents with cognitive conditions, including dementia, ensuring they receive the specialized support they need in a comfortable environment.
At the opening ceremony, Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta expressed her congratulations to Kipling Acres, highlighting the government’s commitment to improving long-term care. “Our government is dedicated to fixing long-term care and ensuring we provide the specialized care that seniors deserve,” Kusendova-Bashta stated. “This new unit will offer 17 residents the specialized attention they require, helping to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.”
I visited the Kipling Acres home 🏠 in Etobicoke and joined dedicated staff and residents in celebrating the opening of their new 17-bed Behavioural Specialized Unit (BSU), which provides residents living with Dementia and having complex needs specialized support.
As part of our… pic.twitter.com/xfjg0HIKTX— Natalia Kusendova-Bashta (@NatKusendova) August 7, 2024
The introduction of these 17 BSU beds is part of a broader $46 million investment by the government over the next three years. This initiative will add over 200 new BSU beds and support the ongoing operation of the existing 59 BSU beds across Ontario.
BSUs are designed to cater to individuals with complex behaviours due to cognitive conditions. These units provide person-centred care by specialized staff who tailor therapies to each resident’s physical, emotional, and cultural needs. This approach allows residents to receive the necessary care within the long-term care home, reducing the reliance on hospital facilities and ensuring complex Alternate Level of Care hospital beds remain available for those in critical need.
The opening of the BSU at Kipling Acres aligns with the government’s comprehensive plan to reform long-term care, built on four key pillars: enhancing staffing and care, ensuring quality and enforcement, constructing modern and safe homes, and improving access to essential services for seniors. This plan aims to guarantee that Ontario’s seniors receive the quality of care and life they deserve.
As the Ontario government continues to roll out these initiatives, the community can expect significant improvements in the long-term care sector, promising a brighter and more secure future for seniors in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
