Residents and staff of a former nursing home in Meteghan, Digby County, have moved into a new, modern facility. 

The new Villa Acadienne is the first long-term care home to open out of the 34 new and replacement facilities planned across the province. It includes 10 additional single rooms to support more seniors in need of long-term care.

“I’m thrilled to welcome residents of Villa Acadienne to their beautiful new home and the dedicated staff to their new workplace,” said Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care. “Any day we’re opening new and improved long-term care rooms is a good day. With this modern facility opening, and by adding more long-term care beds across the province, we’re helping more seniors get the care they need, faster.”

The facility includes 96 single rooms, each with its own private washroom. Common spaces shared by small groups of residents, called households, provide a comfortable, home-like environment. Each space includes a kitchen and dining area, a living room area for activities like games and crafts, and access to an outdoor courtyard and patio.

It also has occupational and physical therapy treatment areas, a hair salon for residents and a large community room that can be used by residents, families, staff and the surrounding community.

Villa Acadienne was one of nine long-term care facilities identified for replacement in the Western Zone. When complete, these homes will add 60 new single rooms to the total number of long-term care spaces in the region.

The other long-term care facilities being replaced in Western Zone include:
— a new 96 single-room facility to replace Mahone Bay Nursing Home, expected to open this winter
— a new 96 single-room facility to replace Mountain Lea Lodge in Bridgetown, expected to open in 2025; construction is expected to start by the end of this year
— a new 144 single-room facility to replace Grandview Manor in Berwick, expected to open in 2026; it is expected that ground will be broken early in 2024
— a new 112 single-room Queens Manor in Liverpool to replace the current Queens Manor and Hillsview Acres in Greenfield, expected to open in 2026
— work continues on replacement facilities planned for Chester, Lunenburg, Wolfville and Shelburne, expected to open by 2027.

All 34 new and replacement facilities planned across the province are expected to open by 2027. Collectively, they will add about 1,200 new long-term care rooms and replace another 2,300 rooms.

Building and improving more long-term care rooms is part of Action for Health, the Province’s strategic plan to improve healthcare.

“We are so excited to share our new home with our residents, staff, volunteers, loved ones and community. Our long-awaited move permits us to foster a teamwork environment that benefits all aspects of care and well-being for the people who call Villa Acadienne their home.”
     – Tonya Boudreau, CEO, Villa Acadienne

“This modern, new facility helps me provide a better quality of care to our residents here at Villa Acadienne – care that is focused on dignity and compassion.”
     – Chrissy Chandler, continuing care assistant, Villa Acadienne

Quick Facts:
— all new and replacement builds are designed and built based on current best practices for infection control and resident and staff safety
— provincial standards mean each new long-term care room will be for one person and includes their own bathroom
— residents of the former Villa Acadienne, along with 10 new residents, have moved into the new nursing home

Additional Resources:
News release – Province, HRM Remove Barriers for New Long-Term Care Facility in Dartmouth: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230705001

News release – Construction Beginning on Long-term Care Homes in Central Zone:
https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230517001

News release – Province Building More Long-Term Care Rooms: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230111001

Action for Health, the government’s strategic plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/

Mandate letter of the Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-SLTC.pdf