HAMILTON - Sophia Aggelonitis, MPP for Hamilton Mountain, joined hospital officials, community members and health care partners today to celebrate the opening of the Regional Rehabilitation Centre at the Hamilton General Hospital campus of Hamilton Health Sciences.
“This is an exciting day for everyone at Hamilton Health Sciences and our region,” said Aggelonitis. “The government's investment in the Regional Rehabilitation Centre consolidates current services to one site. The new Centre will give rehabilitation patients access to expanded programs and services in a fully accessible, state-of-the-art healing environment.”
The new 100,000-square-foot Regional Rehabilitation Centre will have 91 inpatient beds providing care to stroke, spinal cord injury, amputee, trauma, neurobehavioral and acquired brain injury rehabilitation patients.
The building has many unique features including:
- an accessible bridge connection to Hamilton General Hospital allowing patients and staff better access to acute medical and clinical services and resources;
- patient rooms designed to accommodate wheelchairs;
- a four level pool for one-on-one therapy;
- onsite patient resources including an office of the Canadian Paraplegic Association;
- outpatient and occupational therapy clinics; and
- a patient and family resource centre.
A first of its kind in Canada, the outdoor therapeutic track at the Regional Rehabilitation Centre is designed for inpatients to practice their therapy on different surfaces such as stone, wood and pavement in all weather conditions.
“This is a proud day for all of us at Hamilton Health Sciences. We have been looking forward to this new building for many years,” said Murray Martin, President and CEO at Hamilton Health Sciences. “Our new rehabilitation centre will make a tremendous difference in the lives of our patients and the quality of care we can provide.”
Rick Hansen, who wheeled around the world to raise awareness about the potential for people with disabilities and founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation said, “Congratulations for this incredible realization of an amazing dream. The new centre will allow patients to think about the possibilities for their future and to believe they can live life to their fullest potential. My Man In Motion World Tour challenged the world to make our society more accessible to people with disabilities and this new centre is a wonderful tribute to that legacy.”
Construction on the new centre at Hamilton General Hospital began in November 2007 and the project was completed on time and on budget. At the peak of construction, there were more than 250 workers on site daily. Patients and staff will move into the Regional Rehabilitation Centre within weeks.
Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care worked with Hamilton Health Sciences to build the Regional Rehabilitation Centre at Hamilton General Hospital, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable. Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are
built on time and on budget.
Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information.
Contacts:
Amy Tang
Minister's Office
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
416-327-6747
Terence Foran
Infrastructure Ontario
416-325-2939
Jennifer Kramer
Hamilton Health Sciences
905-521-2100, Ext. 76088
Disponible en français