This facility in Christopher Lake will soon be a care home again, but for younger people. (submitted/Kerri Elliott)

By Susan McNeil

Health Care

Sask’s first long-term care home for youth to open in Christopher Lake

Oct 5, 2023 | 3:00 PM

Young people who don’t fit in with care homes for elderly people will soon have their own option in the forested area of north-central Saskatchewan.

Kerrie Elliott, a registered psychiatric nurse, owns Feather Ridge in Christopher Lake and said she is months away from opening the province’s first long-term care home that will provide care for youth with high needs.

“This provides a home-like environment with specialized nursing care, focused on a quality of life and bringing youthful activities and a youthful environment,” Elliott explained.

The residents will be youth ranging from children to people as old as 50 and needing Level 3 or 4 care, which involves continuous nursing.

“We’re thrilled. It will be amazing for these young people, it will be amazing for their families and it’s a great step forward for the province,” she said.

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The province is funding the care home, a success that Elliott said is directly due to the work of Prince Albert – Northcote MLA Alanna Ross, a retired nurse herself.

While Elliott is hopeful the building, which was a Level 1 and 2 care home previously, will be ready for its first residents in February, first she needs staff.

“What we’re doing is just upping the ante. We are providing a much more complicated level of care,” she said. That includes procedures like tube feeding and tracheotomy tubes.

There are 10 beds ready to go and staff are already looking at possibly expanding to 20 beds.

“It’s lots of work, it took two years to get here,” Elliott said.

The Christopher Lake location means it is close to the Prince Albert National Park, an attractive day trip for residents because of its wheelchair accessibility.

Elliott is also eyeing the 25 km drive to Prince Albert once the new pool and arenas are built, as a good place to take the residents for an outing.

She added that they’re attracting applications from nurses from outside of Saskatchewan, but Elliott is hoping to convince some of the retired nurses living in Christopher Lake to also apply.

Provincial incentives for healthcare workers may be available.

The building and the transportation are ready, Feather Ridge is working on finalizing the patient list and staff for Sask’s first care home for younger people. (submitted/Kerrie Elliott)

The building and the transportation are ready, Feather Ridge is working on finalizing the patient list and staff for Sask’s first care home for younger people. (submitted/Kerrie Elliott)

The building and the transportation are ready, Feather Ridge is working on finalizing the patient list and staff for Sask’s first care home for younger people. (submitted/Kerrie Elliott)

The building and the transportation are ready, Feather Ridge is working on finalizing the patient list and staff for Sask’s first care home for younger people. (submitted/Kerrie Elliott)

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com