Retirement residences necessary, but still tough sell to seniors

BY BRENT FOX

The Advertiser

NovaNewsNow.com



Retirement residences for seniors have been around for some time, says Diane Campbell. And although there are many advantages for seniors to live in such assisted living accommodations, there is still resistance to the notion.

An Acadia alumna, Campbell spoke on “Thoughts on the Retirement Industry� as part of the Acadia University Business Distinguished Speakers Series Thursday afternoon, Nov. 9. She is president and CEO of Berkeley Holdings Limited, Halifax.

Campbell pointed out that the Nova Scotia population is the oldest in Atlantic Canada and the third oldest in Canada. Each month, 700 Nova Scotians turn 65. If this keeps up, one in four Nova Scotians will be 65 or older by 2026. “Seniors are the fastest growing population in the province and the country.�

She noted that life expectancy has increased because of clean water, antibiotics and vaccines.

But as people age, they have more need of health care services. “You have to visit the doctor more frequently, and probably with more serious problems. As the population ages, we could end up with a situation where there’s a tremendous burden on health care services that will continue to grow.�

As well, “conditions such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia increase with age to a point that one in three 85-year-olds are affected. That’s a pretty dramatic change.�



Young people moving away

As the same time, young people are very transient, Campbell said, leaving their rural communities, the province and even the country to find employment. This loss will impact on who cares for seniors.

As well, seniors left on their own are more vulnerable to home invasions, loneliness and poor nutritional practices.

A retirement residence offers a number of advantages, Campbell said, including independence, safety, socializing, companionship, stimulation, a healthy lifestyle, and a variety of services. Socialization is very important.

Despite those advantages, there have been some slow spots in the company’s development, she said. Berkley’s first facility began in 1990. “It was not a matter of ‘build it and they will come.’� It took five years to fill it, she said. “It became a very hard sell.�

Part of the problem was people thinking of it as a ‘nursing home.’ There was a widespread unfamiliarity with the concept of the retirement residential concept.

She notes it’s a cross between an apartment building, a hotel and a nursing home. Seniors can live there independently and with dignity. The facilities have a nursing component as well as call bells.

She said most of the residents are women and the average ages are between 85 and 90. “It’s a very senior population.�



Other options

As well, there are other options offered to seniors, such as condos. Campbell said if a senor doesn’t want to go to a retirement residence, a family shouldn’t force them. “It’s a decision they have to come up with on their own.�

Responding to a question on staff availability, Campbell said it includes nurses, Personal Care Workers (PCWs), and maintenance personnel. These people are difficult to find, but even more so with the draw of places like Fort McMurray beckoning anyone with a skill.

As well, staffing has to be maintained at a high level even if the facility is nearly empty.

She noted there are big national companies involved in the field in the United States, but here in Canada it’s still generally on a provincial level.

However, as for her company expanding into Kentville or Wolfville, she said the population is too small for a stand-alone facility. It’s not viable here unless the company is already in the community or has a secondary business.

As well, families here still take care of their seniors and an option like a retirement residence wouldn’t be their first choice.