The Connect Saanich Peninsula home will include 13 short-term beds for clients transitioning to more independent living and 13 long-term beds for those requiring ongoing support.
A new 26-bed supportive-living home for people with acquired brain injuries is expected to open in Central Saanich next month, Island Health announced Monday.
The home will offer occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, recreational therapy and support from social workers and psychologists for those with brain injuries acquired through falls, crashes or drug overdoses and revivals, among other causes.
The facility at 2477 Mt. Newton Cross Rd. will be called Connect Saanich Peninsula and be operated by Connect Communities in partnership with Island Health.
Health Minister Josie Osborne, who attended the announcement in Central Saanich along with Connect Communities CEO Patti Flaherty, said in a statement that the services and resources “will help people regain their independence while providing them with the necessary supports and care to live well in the community.”
Flaherty said her team has more than 30 years of experience supporting individuals after brain injury and stroke in Langley, Kelowna and Ontario.
The Connect Saanich Peninsula home will include 13 short-term beds for clients transitioning to more independent living and 13 long-term beds for those requiring ongoing support.
Residents will receive personal care, medication management, life-skills training and opportunities to participate in cultural and social activities in a home-like setting, according to the health authority.
Ashley Ormiston, Island Health’s regional program co-ordinator, said with early intervention and focused, timely interventions, people with brain injuries “can begin to recover, improve their health, gain independence and reintegrate into society.”
Tsawout Nation Elder Mavis Underwood said the nation is a partner in the supportive-housing program, which will help its members, people from other W̱SÁNEĆ communities and others to heal, and “will encourage their families to believe that the best hope rests with early support, encouragement and good people.”
A second Connect Communities supportive living home is under construction in Parksville and set to open in 2026, Island Health said.
The province said the homes address a gap in specialized brain-injury services on the south Island and are part of its commitment to build up mental-health support.
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