While many long-term care homes in the region have waiting lists, the Borden Care Home is eager to welcome new residents right away.
“We currently have several vacancies,” said Ivan Youchezin, chair of the board of directors of the non-profit, community-owned facility. “There are six residents in the home now, and we have room for 16 residents.
“That includes married couples, because a few of the 13 rooms are large enough to accommodate two people.”
Youchezin said the home is also looking to offer shorter-term respite care for residents whose caregivers need a week or a month off.
The Borden Care Home officially opened in 2001 as a personal care home facility after many years of fundraising by volunteers in Borden, Radisson, Langham, Maymont and the surrounding rural areas.
The home is a bright, spacious, modern residence with well-maintained grounds, offering residents three home-cooked meals and two snacks daily.
The facility was originally built with ten rooms, all with two piece bathrooms. An addition was built later containing five suites, all with full bathrooms including walk-in showers. The home employs ten full and part-time kitchen, personal-care and maintenance staff.
It operates under strict Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) guidelines but is an independent facility funded through residents’ monthly fees and community donations. It does not receive any funding from the SHA or the province.
Youchezin said the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the care home, with some residents leaving to live with family members because of the province-wide visiting restrictions in place for over a year.
“We need eight or nine residents to break even,” said Youchezin. “It does cost quite a bit of money to operate every month. We recently installed our fourth set of laundry machines, and commercial-grade kitchen equipment is also costly.”
Borden Care Home Manager Heather Pidwerbesky said the easing of COVID-19 restrictions last summer was welcomed by residents.
“It was a difficult time for residents,” said Pidwerbesky. “The staff here are very dedicated and we do our best to make this feel like home for residents and keep their spirits up.
“At least now, even with the latest guidelines, there is still freedom to come and visit if you are wearing a mask and go through the screening process. All visits are in the residents’ rooms, not in the common area, and we have a screened-in gazebo and a pagoda for outdoor visits as well.”
Kirk Maxwell of Radisson, vice-chair of the Borden Care Home board of directors, said monthly residents’ fees are comparable to care homes in Saskatoon. He noted the quiet community is only a half-hour drive from the city, and offers access to health facilities.
The care home is located just half a block from the Borden Health Centre, which includes a pharmacy and nurse practitioner.
Bev Panas of Langham,, a member of the Borden Care Home board of directors, said the home also offers activities for residents, including bingo and visits from church groups in the area.
The Borden Care Home can be contacted at 1-306-997-2266 or by e-mail at bordencarehome@sasktel.net .
Pictured from left to right: Heather Pidwerbesky (manager), Peter Thiessen (Board member), Lynette Schmidt (Advisory Team Lead)