Seniors at independent living facility angry after housing authority ends in-home care
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Seniors at an independent living facility in Bridgetown, N.S., are feeling betrayed after the province’s housing authority announced it was laying off full-time support staff they say is the reason they came there in the first place.
Residents of Crosskill Court are upset after Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency officials told them earlier this month that continuing care aides will stop working out of their facility until the spring.
“When they leave, there’s nobody there. So (thinking about it) makes me a little scared,” said Linda Elrich, a resident of Crosskill Court.
The agency recently announced it is ending home continuing care at three of the eight facilities that offer independent living through its Enriched Housing program. This program provides apartment units to 180 seniors with minimum needs in Nova Scotia.
The long-term care program provides an option for seniors who do not want to live at home but do not need the level of services offered in long-term care.
According to a spokesperson, the agency is making changes to the way it delivers the program at facilities in Bridgetown, Berwick and Antigonish due to complaints from some residents about operational changes and mandated costs.
But most residents of Crosskill Court say they were well aware of the cost before moving there and would willingly pay it because they want the support services offered.
Resident Jennifer Hunt-Boyd said, “They think we don’t have feelings. They think we’re just old and you can just pat us on the head and we’ll do what they say.”
Seniors were treated like family
The provincial housing agency has decades-old agreements with private long-term care facilities to offer the affluent housing program that was established in the late 1970s.
Affluent housing units are attached to long-term care facilities, making access to care easier.
Continuing care assistants provide residents with a cooked meal daily, housekeeping every two weeks, as well as sports and exercise to keep them active.
Senior citizens living in these apartments will have to pay $620 per month whether they avail these services or not.
Crosskill Court residents say the care goes far beyond cooking and cleaning.
Helen Kennedy said, “They treat us like our grandmothers and it’s nice to know there’s someone who cares about us.”
Pam Manchenton, executive director of client services at the housing agency, says there are a few reasons why in-house continuing care service is ending at three facilities.
Mountain Lee Lodge, the long-term care facility attached to Crosskill Court, is moving into a new building in May. Menchenten said similar changes are planned for the other two facilities and it is not possible to continue providing food and care at separate facilities.
She said some seniors in the program are complaining about having to pay mandatory fees, but she couldn’t say how much.
“The convenience factor and the relationships (residents) have built, I realize that will be different, but they can still access services,” Menchenton said.
Residents can continue to live in their facilities but will have to apply through the province to receive continuing care, she said.
Crosskill Court residents start petition
There appear to be no complaints about costs in Crosskill Court.
Almost all of the 27 residents have signed a petition calling on the housing agency to keep the current service in place.
Some people who don’t trust support say they are happy to pay for it because they will need it in the future.
Many residents said they are concerned about what the province’s service will be like inferior and not that reliable The level of care he now receives from staff has been described as guardian angels.
The province did not respond to questions about its continuing care services prior to publication.
Janice Brooks, who has lived at Crosskill Court for about a year, recently collapsed in her apartment and was found by paramedics.
She said she didn’t know what would have happened if they weren’t there and that if in-home care was removed, she would have to find somewhere else to live.
“It should be left as it is,” Brooks said. “There’s no reason to change it the way it is and force us to do something else.”
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