Bethany Calgary, one of the oldest care centres in Alberta, has been serving families since its establishment on this site in 1945
Early in 2023, a group of Calgarians — including Jennifer McCue, president and CEO of Bethany Care Society, and Bill Mitchell, partner of Zeidler Architecture — travelled to Amsterdam to tour the Hogeweyk care concept. The facility challenges traditional approaches to care homes by providing person-centred care — small-scale living in familiar surroundings — while placing an emphasis on maintaining the highest quality of life for people with dementia.
The trip helped inform the Zeidler design and care model of Bethany’s new state-of-the-art care home that Graham Construction has broken ground on in the northeast Hounsfield Heights-Briar Hill neighbourhood. Delivering care in a new way, it will incorporate a small-home model where each contains 14 rooms, with shared dining and living spaces with their own unique look.
Bethany Calgary, one of the oldest care centres in Alberta, has been serving families since its establishment on this site in 1945. The facility has gone through several renovations over the years but the existing building no longer meets modern design standards for care environments.
“Over 20 years ago, we began planning for the eventual replacement for Bethany Calgary,” McClure says. And the registered nurse, armed with her master of science in health administration, has been heavily involved in that planning since joining Bethany 15 years ago as COO and in her current role for the past 10 years.
Bethany began when five inspired Lutherans had a vision to create a home for people who could not live on their own as a result of physical frailty, disability, chronic illness or family circumstance. They raised $10,000 to purchase a 4.75-acre site from the Riley Estate and built the first home to care for 19 guests.
The new development is being built on the southeast corner of the existing site, ensuring no disruption to residents or the health-care system’s capacity. Funded in part by a $114-million commitment from the Alberta government, the care home for seniors and adults with disabilities will feature 420 private continuing-care rooms, ensuring every resident can enjoy their own private bedroom and ensuite.
Influenced by The Hogeweyk Dementia Village, Mitchell says the design of the project will set a new standard for long-term care in Alberta.
“The small-home model will shape the future of senior living design, with a focus on enhancing the resident experience through more intimate living spaces coupled with themed community spaces on each floor. Working alongside Bethany Care, our goal was to create an environment that feels like a true home, rather than an institutional space.”
Designed as one 370,000-square-foot building above a lower-level parkade, it has three tiers with courtyards between, backing into the hill above a lower-level parkade. Shaped with a central spine, the 14-bed homes have their own district character, creating a sense of individuality and warmth.
Freedom of movement and recreational therapy are key to encouraging residents to leave their rooms more often to be around other people. Each floor will feature interactive areas with different themes.
Residents, visitors and volunteers will have access to amenities such as a putting green on the easily recognized sport floor. Another will be themed to enjoy music and the third will offer the use of a greenhouse. Other amenities include a movie theatre, exercise room, games, and arts and crafts rooms. The main floor will also house a welcoming bistro in which Aramark will provide coffee, muffins, etc.
McCue and her team are thrilled to see the start of construction at last, and anticipate the opening of the new care home in late fall 2027. Meanwhile, the Bethany Care Foundation will launch a capital campaign to raise another $20 million to complete the project.
Bethany currently owns and operates 11 care centres in Calgary and area, and owns and manages six seniors’ affordable housing buildings, and another nine on behalf of the provincial government.
Notes:
Eric Horvath, senior vice-president/partner of National Investment Services at Colliers, and his team have a choice piece of land for sale in Springbank. The 151-acre Barnard Lands are close to the community of Harmony, with easy access to Calgary via the nearby Trans-Canada Highway; ideal for country residential development.
David Parker appears regularly in the Herald. Read his columns online at calgaryherald.com/business. He can be reached at 403-830-4622.