By STEPHON NICHOLAS Tuesday, July 10 2012

Thirty-two senior citizens from Toco will soon have a place to call home once more when the rebuilding of the Toco Senior Citizens Home concludes in September this year.

On Friday, Dr Jennifer Rouse, director, Division of Ageing, Ministry of the People and Social Development as well as members of the Project Implementation Unit of the ministry toured the site to inspect the work being done on the facility.

Councillor for the area, Terry Rondon, was also present and was delighted that the home will soon be available for the elderly in the community.

Dr Rouse noted that the previous structure was in dire need of repair and it was decided that it would be better to rebuild it.

“We have the oversight to ensure things go according to the legislative requirement for the homes for the aged. The Toco home is one of nine that receives government subventions, so we can do collaborative work. We have recognised that the Toco home was in such a dilapidated condition, we had to demolish and reconstruct it.

This visit is to come with our Project Management team and Implementation unit to see the progress that is being made, and report back to the ministry,” she said.

The director expressed satisfaction with what she saw, and noted that the building was 30 percent completed, and the home will get the newest equipment for their comfort.

“We will then see about furnishing the home with modern equipment that is user-friendly for our seniors, because right now we are renting at a residence in the area. We have to ensure that the quality of care is never compromised,” she explained.

The director is optimistic that the home will be able to house its residents by Christmas, and believes they will immensely enjoy the new structure.

“Come September the construction will be finished, and then the furnishing, furniture and fittings would be done. I would say comfortably, it would be ready to be launched and have the residents move in by Christmas.

I am so happy to know that, because I am seeing it developing already, and then it would be able to accommodate 32 residents from the environs. This will be an improvement because the old home used to hold only about nine, or 11 persons,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Myrline Beckles of the Management Committee for the Home, said she was delighted the facility was being expanded.