Psychogeriatric Daycare client Violet Mathew and Unit Leader Mildred Lake cutting the ribbon at the opening of the new dementia daycare and training facility at the White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF).
CUL DE SAC--The White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF) has officially opened a new Psychogeriatric (PG) Daycare and Training Facility, expanding the organisation’s capacity to provide specialised dementia care while creating additional space for staff training and professional development.
The facility was officially opened on Friday, August 28, during a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA Claret Connor, representatives of Social and Health Insurances SZV, WYCCF board and management members, staff, clients, families and other stakeholders.
WYCCF Chairman Jon Duijnstee said the new facility represents more than the completion of a building, it provides a space where people living with dementia can receive care in a safe and respectful environment. “This building is about creating a place where people with a form of dementia can feel safe, respected, valued and connected,” Duijnstee said.
Mercelina congratulated WYCCF on the opening and highlighted the importance of specialised support for people living with dementia, as well as their families and caregivers. He also stressed the need for continued training among healthcare professionals. “Buildings create capacity; people create care,” Mercelina said, while emphasising the role of healthcare workers in delivering quality care.
The prime minister also called for continued cooperation between WYCCF, government, SZV, healthcare professionals, families and community partners as St. Maarten faces an ageing population and increasingly complex healthcare and social-care needs.
A plaque honouring former WYCCF board member Michel Soons was also unveiled during the ceremony. Soons served on the WYCCF board for 33 years, including 17 years as chairman. His contribution and leadership were recognised through the honorary plaque, which was unveiled by longtime WYCCF employee Macfolda Gumbs.
Father Johannes subsequently blessed the new facility, while the official opening was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony involving Daycare PG client Violet Mathew and unit leader Mildred Lake. Guests were then given a tour of the facility.
The Psychogeriatric Daycare was established in 2012 in response to the growing needs of families caring for relatives with dementia at home. The service provides clients with a structured environment where they can socialise, participate in activities and receive specialised care, while giving families additional support and allowing clients to remain at home for as long as possible.
The daycare initially accommodated 12 clients before expanding to 20 places after moving to a ground-floor location at St. Martin’s Home in 2018. By 2023, its waiting list had grown to more than 15 people, prompting plans for a larger, dedicated facility. Construction began in July 2025, and the daycare moved into the new building one year later.
The new facility doubles the daycare’s capacity from 20 to 40 clients. Despite the expansion, demand remains high, with 17 people currently on the waiting list. The building has been designed to provide a dementia-friendly environment with additional space for social activities, structured programmes and specialised care. The facility also expands WYCCF’s capacity to train
its staff. The second floor includes a skills laboratory, a computer room for online learning, two soundproof classrooms and offices for the organisation’s Quality Team.
The classrooms can be used separately for training courses and workshops or combined to accommodate larger seminars, conferences and other sessions. The skills laboratory will allow staff to practise nursing and technical skills and maintain their competencies, while the additional training facilities will support continued professional development.
Duijnstee thanked the Daycare PG team, WYCCF staff, management and board, as well as SZV and the Ministry of VSA, for their support. He also thanked Windward Roads for completing the building on time and within budget. The new facility represents an expansion of both specialised dementia care and professional training capacity as WYCCF seeks to respond to the changing healthcare needs of St. Maarten.
