Retirement homes can help with care

Re: One in 5 seniors in residential care doesn’t need to be there, July 11.

As a board-certified geriatric pharmacist, I read with interest the article by Blair Crawford, and other news stories concerning the critical shortage of space in government-funded long-term-care facilities and in chronic-care hospital units.

The story suggests that the answer lies in increased funding for home care to enable seniors to remain in their homes longer. While home care can be part of the solution to the problem, no mention is made of another option that governments and others are overlooking. That is government funding to help eligible seniors move to retirement residences. There are several advantages to this option.

As compared to long-termcare facilities or hospitals, retirement residences are much less costly for seniors unable to live independently, but not in need of specialized nursing care.

As compared to home care, which is often provided to individuals living alone, retirement residences provide a much better quality of life. There is the opportunity to socialize with others of similar age and interests, stimulating activities and fitness programs, nutritious meals and nursing staff available.

It is difficult to calculate the potential offered by retirement residences because of the lack of precise data, but even a rough estimate indicates there is a tremendous opportunity. In the Ottawa area alone, the latest CMHC survey shows there are 65 retirement residences with an average vacancy rate of 12.5 per cent. This amounts to over 900 empty spaces, which in turn, could represent the equivalent of nine or 10 new long-term care facilities. This capacity doesn’t require new construction funding and is immediately available — why not find a way to use it? Wit Lewandowski, B. Sc. Pharm., Ottawa