Seniors Housing Crisis Forces Elderly Residents to Move Outside the City
High costs and lack of spaces driving seniors to seek affordable options beyond the GTA
TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2017 /CNW/ - The high cost of Toronto housing is hurting the ability of older seniors and those needing care support to find the specialized housing they need – forcing many of them to look outside the city at more affordable options.
Seniors housing in Ontario is the among the most expensive in Canada, with an average cost of almost $2,800 a month for independent living and $4,600 a month for people in need of dementia care. This high cost, coupled with a lack of available spaces, is driving many seniors to look beyond the Greater Toronto Area to find the care they need in their advancing years.
"It's always stressful and often very emotional, and families need all the support they can get," says Trina Carey, General Manager of A Place For Mom (Canada), a free referral service for families that works to help match them to senior care communities based on the needs of the family. "The need often arises quickly: an aging parent suffers a fall or a stroke and needs either home care or appropriate housing immediately. Their children must navigate a complicated and confusing array of choices."
The senior housing crisis in Toronto comes at a time when the demand for senior housing is exploding. Statistics Canada estimates that by 2026, more than 2.4 million Canadians over the age of 65 will need some kind of continuing care, a 71 per cent increase from 2011. If current patterns hold, Canada will need at additional 131,000 seniors housing spaces by 2026, and 240,000 by 2046.
Families looking for housing need to tap into all available resources—seek recommendations from friends and colleagues, and call referral services such as A Place For Mom, which offers free advice from experts on housing and home care options in their region. It also helps to plan ahead and have one's financial affairs in order as paying for senior care requires careful planning and preparation, including using long-term care insurance, reverse mortgages, pensions and savings.
"With the search for appropriate housing or home care for seniors getting tougher, it is important for families to seek expertise, especially in a crisis situation," adds Ms. Carey. "Our advisors are hearing from families in Toronto who are discovering that they can't afford the kind of housing they need for their father or mother. Luckily, we are able to direct them to good options that are less expensive in places such as Barrie, Durham Region or St. Catharines."
A Place for Mom is Canada's largest free referral service for seniors housing and home care. Advisers with local expertise help families navigate a complex and often-confusing system, offering them a range of appropriate choices for their loved ones. It marries technological innovations with the human touch.
To learn more, please visit the company website at: https://www.aplaceformom.com/
About A Place for Mom
A Place for Mom was founded 17 years ago to help families navigate the maze of senior housing options. Since then, A Place for Mom has grown to become the largest senior living referral service in the U.S. and Canada. Although our company name focuses on "mom," we help dad too! As well as uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters - anyone who is faced with finding the best senior living options for their loved ones.
SOURCE A PLACE FOR MOM
Media Contact: Joel Baglole, Blueprint Public Relations, E-mail: [email protected], Phone: (613) 371-6305; Veronica Green, Blueprint Public Relations, E-mail: [email protected], Phone: (613) 867-9128
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