'We don't have that much time': Inglewood seniors disappointed by delay of small-scale care home

Small, affordable and built with seniors in mind.

That's the idea behind Elderhouse — a proposed 17-unit elder care home in the Calgary neighbourhood of Inglewood that aims to help seniors age in their community.

After waiting on provincial funding for almost four years, the non-profit behind Elderhouse says it will have to re-apply for federal funding and land use permits after finding out this week that the provincial funding stream will not be released until next year. 

Jack Long Foundation executive director Shirley-anne Reuben says more needs to be done to ensure all levels of government are on the same page when it comes to housing for seniors.

Reuben says there has been interest and support for Elderhouse from different agencies and at various levels of government. Jack Long Foundation purchased land and received permits from the city. It got federal funding for the project and has been supported by Alberta Health Services throughout the process.

However, with its land use permits expiring after already being renewed twice and federal funding contingent on provincial funds, Reuben says this is "just an example of how vision and policies are really not aligned, and vision at three levels [of government] is not aligned."

"The fact is we do have to go through the whole process again," she said.

In its 2022-2023 budget the province put forward $3.7 billion for continuing care programs. Of that money, AHS spokesperson Lisa Blahey said $204 million will go toward "the modernization and expansion of continuing care capacity."

Blahey said one of the government's top priorities is "to transform the province's continuing care system to be more responsive to the needs of Albertans now and in the future."

"The continuing care capital program, small homes stream, is currently under development and anticipated to launch in the first half of 2023. It will be several months before a small homes grant stream is open to receive proposals," she said.

Rueben says the foundation was waiting on $2 million in funding and is still working with the province to ensure it is able to access the 2023 funding. 

Elderhouse started with conversations with seniors in the area to find out what kind of home they wanted. Reuben says seniors wanted a place where they could live while getting assistance but remaining active in their communities. 

"The concern is when you don't have a lot of money you end up in a nursing home, usually far away from where you are. You don't need medical support. You just need some help, maybe meals prepared ... and someone in house."

According to a report by Statistics Canada, Canada's 85 and older population grew by 12 per cent between 2016 and 2021 and is set to triple by 2050. Reuben believes these trends show just how important it is for places like Elderhouse to exist, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic has blown the lid on many issues in large-scale, long-term care facilities.