Saint John - Horizon Health Network's (Horizon) St. Joseph's Hospital is re-opening its Cognitive Assessment Management (CAM) Unit after six months of extensive renovations. Patients will be welcomed back to the unit on Jan. 30, 2018 after being temporarily housed at Horizon's Saint John Regional Hospital. 

St. Joseph's Hospital CAM unit cares for 20 patients with cognitive illnesses at a time and is the only unit of its kind in Horizon's health network. The renovations completed respond to the needs of dementia patients and their families by creating a more comfortable and home-like environment. 

"The renovated CAM unit now offers a warm and welcoming space that is more home-like, which is a true example of patient and family centred care", said Karen McGrath, President and CEO of Horizon Health Network. "The new environment will promote independence for our patients and create an overall more positive experience for both the patients and their families." 

The brightly painted space includes elements such as comfortable common spaces, sky panel ceiling, and a family room. Each patient door replicates a front door of a historical uptown Saint John home to symbolise a home environment rather than a clinical space. Each room includes a memory case where each family will have the opportunity to fill the case with memories that will be placed in their loved one's room during their time on the CAM unit. 

The renovation, which began in July 2017, was a joint investment between Horizon and the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation totalling $530,000. The foundation received large donations from the St. Joseph's Hospital Auxiliary and the Friar Sisters who held benefit concert in November 2016 at the Imperial Theatre with all proceeds going towards the renovation. 

"I am overjoyed to see the environment that has been created with this renovation", said Laurie Flood, executive director of St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation. "This unit was in need of attention, and with the help of our partners, such as the Friars family, we have been able to provide a space where our patients can receive the best care. 

The goal of the CAM unit is to assist patients with the management and behavioral problems so that they can return safely to the community. While some patients may spend up to six months on the unit, for some it becomes their "forever home." 

The renovation allows Horizon's CAM unit to implement leading-edge ways to support our vulnerable patients while creating an environment to provide the best care for dementia patients and their families.

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For more information contact: 

Stephanie Neilson-Levesque  
Media Relations
1-877-499-1899
Media@HorizonNB.ca   
www.HorizonNB.ca