Forums on housing for seniors confirm the need for alternatives

The Senior Housing Options Group has held forums in three of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s five communities, sharing survey results and gathering additional feedback from residents.

At the Queenston Library last Wednesday, residents said they were not surprised by the lack of housing options available to seniors, 79 per cent of whom currently live in single family dwellings in NOTL.

“There are few options available” for those who want to downsize and live in NOTL, said group member Cindy Grant.

Stephen Ferley, who helped to create the survey questions that 600 residents answered, said the existing living arrangements do not offer enough diversity.

While admitting that “one size does not fit all,” group member Tom Smith offered several possible solutions that vary from independent housing with assistance to building a “tiny house” on a current property.

Co-housing or shared housing is another option, explained Smith. “We have lots of beautiful housing in Niagara-on-the-Lake and it could possibly be affordable for five people to buy into one house with a shared common area and kitchen.”

“There could also be an informal arrangement,” Smith said, where a group of people could come together to help each other out with daily chores such as grocery shopping and getting to and from medical appointments. “This could help people stay in their homes longer,” he suggested.

The survey showed that respondents want quick and easy access to health care and to stay in their current community, but also have access to a range of services and amenities as needs change over time.

“The findings confirmed our suspicions that many people want to stay in NOTL when they movie out of their single family homes,” Smith said.

Old Town resident Carol Lipsett attended the Queenston meeting to understand the options and to provide feedback on a form collected by group members. “I like to think ahead,” she said. “I like to choose for myself before someone else chooses for me.”

However, retirement residences such as St. Catharines' Royal Henley do not exist in NOTL. There are only two formal housing options here: Pleasant Manor, which offers transitional housing with a continuum of care, and Stone Road Village’s Life Lease apartments.

Queenston resident Andrea Leja told the group of her frustrations with the situation of an elderly father who now lives in Oakville to access the care he needs. Her mother is looking at housing options in Oakville to be closer to her husband, and this has caused Leja to explore her options in the Niagara-on-the-Lake area that meet “all needs, such as a wellness hub” where various services can be offered as needed. Ideally, for her, that would be in Queenston.

The group plans to host two more community forums in both Glendale and St. Davids before creating a delegation for the town. They are looking for residents in St. Davids and Glendale to join the group to give community-specific feedback. If interested, contact Cindy Grant at [email protected].

The next step for the group is to present resident feedback and survey results to council. “Council needs to set the foundation for builders and developers,” said Grant, the group chair.

“We need to raise public awareness and get the ear of regional and town authorities to be attentive to this,” added Smith. The “supposition is that people in NOTL can afford whatever their needs are,” he suggested, “when in fact this issue is not about affordability but accessibility.”