Left to right (Back): Bishop Marcel Damphousse, Jamie West, MPP, Jo-Anne Palkovits, President and CEO, Paul
Marleau, SJCCC Board Chair, France Gélinas, MPP Nickel Belt
Left to right (Front): Sr. Bonnie Chesser, Shirley Newell, former patient, Nancy McDow
St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre Celebrates 10 Years of Caring…Beyond the Moment!
(Sudbury) –May 31, 2019
St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre of Sudbury (SJCCC) celebrated its 10th year anniversary on May 31, 2019. In honour of this momentous occasion, dignitaries, patients, family members, staff and volunteers attended a special celebratory event held today.
His Excellency Most Reverend Marcel Damphousse of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie provided a special blessing in recognition of St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre’s 10th anniversary. A host of dignitaries and special guests including: Frances Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt, Jamie West, MPP Sudbury and Paul Marleau, Chair, St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre along with current and former Board members, community partners and supporters were present.
Jo-Anne Palkovits, President and CEO took the opportunity to thank those in attendance and provided the history of how the SJCCC came to be. In speaking to the future she indicated that “we are growing St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre. With the support and collaboration from Health Sciences North (HSN), we will be submitting a capital planning proposal to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care in June to allow for a 72 bed expansion. The most recent data shows that 24% of the patients at HSN who are designated Alternate Level of Care or ALC are waiting for rehab at the SJCCC. In addition, there are people waiting for rehab in the community and in our neighbouring hospitals. These new beds are desperately needed by our local health care system to ensure residents of the City of Greater Sudbury are able to return to independent living in the community and avoid admission to our acute hospital HSN.”
Since its opening on June 1, 2009, St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre has had many milestones and highlights.
Paul Marleau, Chair of St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre Board of Directors stated, “We are tremendously proud to be able to celebrate SJCCC’s 10th anniversary with you. Ten years ago, the much anticipated opening of this new 64-bed state of the art complex continuing care facility became a reality. Since that time, over 3000 patients have transitioned through these hospital doors. The majority of individuals are those who otherwise would most likely have continued to stay at Health Sciences North but who are now in a more appropriate setting including either at home, retirement living or long-term care.