With the opening of 44 beds on 6 West and 6 East, the Centre’s rated bed capacity is 461.

The new beds include the TACT program (Temporary Acute Care Treatment), providing short-term medical intervention to elderly individuals whose needs exceed the care available in personal care homes.

The Communication & Environmental Systems Library (CESL) is fully operational.

The library leases equipment to individuals with difficulties talking and/or accessing controls in their environment such as turning on the TV or lights.

The J. W. Crane Memorial Library of Gerontology and Geriatrics officially opens.

The library is Canada’s largest and best known special library on aging.

The Tower Building is renamed the “John Osbourne VC Tower” in honor of the World War II heroes.

A 23 bed Neurosupportive unit opens, providing care to individuals who have sustained severe neurological impairment.

This brings the total bed status to 417.

The Deer Lodge Foundation for Geriatrics is formally constituted.

A twelve bed Psychogeriatric unit opens, focusing on assessment and treatment of individuals with mental health problems.

The Minister of Health, the Honorable Don Orchard announces the opening of 90 beds in the Lodge Building and 60 interim Personal Care beds in the South Pavilion.

The 90 beds incorporate an expansion of the Centre’s Respiratory program, a doubling of Assessment and Rehabilitation beds and a new unit for the severely brain injured.

With this announcement, Deer Lodge Centre becomes Manitoba’s major facility for Geriatric Rehabilitation.

The total reconstruction and renovation program is completed. The new complex of 406 beds is officially opened by the Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, the Honorable George Johnson. The focus of the Centre changes to encourage specialized outreach programming to maintain the elderly in the community and to create an empowering, holistic care environment for those who come for temporary or long term care.

Residents are moved into the newly completed 200 bed Personal Care Tower.

Following prolonged negotiations with the Federal Government, the Deer Lodge Hospital is finally transferred to the Province of Manitoba. $30 million is provided to finance renovations and new construction. As part of the agreement, 155 personal care beds are reserved for veterans.

The opening of the new “Lodge” building brings the total beds to 640.

From 1958 to 1983, the focus of the hospital changes as there is less need for acute care veterans’ services.

As the veterans age, the need for geriatric services and programs is identified.