The construction of a $12 million small-house dementia care unit at Lambton Meadowview Villa near Petrolia is almost finished.
Michael Gorgey, the county’s general manager of long-term care, mentioned that the first residents are likely to move into this new section of the long-term care home in January.
Demolition began in 2025 to clear out an office space and create room for the small house addition.
“We’re expecting the construction will end at the end of November,” Gorgey stated.
A small-house dementia-care centre at Lambton Meadowview Villa near Petrolia is expected to welcome its first residents in January. (Paul Morden/The Observer)
After that, there will be a “fit-up period” where they’ll work with the contractor on any issues, clean up the area, and set up beds and equipment, he said.
“Once we’re at that point, we’ll be waiting for the ministry pre-occupancy inspection,” Gorgey noted. “We’re expecting that to go well.”
These small houses feature a central “hearth” area designed for a small group of residents to live together, share meals, socialize, and engage in activities.
“It’s looking really amazing,” Gorgey said. “It’s a beautiful space.”
Michael Gorgey, general manager of long-term care, speaks at a recent Lambton County council meeting. (Paul Morden/The Observer)
About 16 full-time staff members will be added to support operations at this small house. This includes registered practical nurses, personal support workers, cooks, recreation staff, and others.
“We have staff who are going to start training probably in December once we have the site open,” Gorgey explained.
Current Meadowview Villa staff will assist with vacation and sick time coverage at the new facility. “That’s good too because we want to pass on some of what we’ve learned about dementia care” from the main home into this new space,” he said.
This addition is part of what Gorgey calls a “campus of care” located within Enniskillen Township just west of Petrolia.
In addition to the current long-term care home, this property also hosts affordable senior housing and an existing childcare center along with another new childcare center nearing completion.
Furthermore, part of the long-term care home is set to become home for St. Joseph’s Hospice’s county location.
“It’s really going to be quite the site when it’s all said and done,” Gorgey remarked.
A fundraising campaign aimed at equipping this new small house has raised around $63,000 as reported by county officials by late August.
This funding will help add technology meant to enhance “capacity for dementia care” on-site according to Gorgey.
One goal of this project is to see if living in a “home-like environment reduces behaviors like shouting or other “responsive behavior” often seen among dementia patients in traditional settings so people can feel more comfortable and enjoy their lives better,” he explained.
“This is the first true small house in the province,” Gorgey said. “So we’re trailblazing in that perspective.”
The county is working with a physician from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto on evaluations related to programming at Lambton’s new facility.
“This is a unique time,” stated Gorgey. “We’re moving 12 people from traditional care into a small house so we’re really interested in understanding how that actually impacts their lives.”
What they learn through these evaluations could benefit others within Ontario’s long-term care sector according to Gorgey.
Paul Morden has been a reporter at The Observer since 1984. He writes about Lambton County council , local industry , and general news p>pmorden
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