Rest Haven in Steinbach

South Eastman Health is offering a forgiveable loan to Haven Group. Haven Group offers life services to seniors in Steinbach and area, operating Rest Haven Nursing home, Cedarwood Supportive Housing, Parkview Apartments and Woodhaven Manor.

Ron Janzen is Chief Financial Officer for the regional health authority. He says Haven Group is making long term strategic plans for development of its personal care home "We of course have a vital strategic interest in what happens at Haven Group," says Janzen. "They are delivering services on behalf of the RHA through a service purchase agreement and we have a very close relationship with them in terms of planning long term care services in the region. And we've encouraged them to engage with us as proactively as possible in the planning of long term care operations and beds for the Steinbach area."

The board of directors for South Eastman Health has offered a loan. Janzen says "they extended the offer of a forgiveable loan to the facility." Janzen says the hope is that the development will be approved by the province and the loan costs would then be recovered from the project funding.

When the matter was discussed at a recent meeting, board member George Sawatzky noted the RHA should approve this loan because South Eastman Health should want to be involved. He feels if Haven Group doesn't get a loan from the RHA, it will look elsewhere and that will hurt the RHA's partnership longterm.

The loan will be worth up to $75,000. Janzen notes it will be based on the actual costs of the development related specifically to the personal care home. "Haven Group is actually working out a somewhat larger proposal," says Janzen. "And we will be assisting only with the part that relates specifically to the personal care home."

Janzen says this sort of loan isn't a first for South Eastman Health. A similar arrangement was done with East Borderland Community Housing. Janzen notes their proposal includes the possibility of a personal care home in the southern district.