It only makes sense that housing is sparse for the elderly. They are the baby boomer generation and we have already seen its affects on society. Most of our health care services are directed towards the elderly as well as other services the government has to offer. One of the major services that has come to attention is housing. Where I am from in Timmins, this problem has become evident to us. This past year alone our city is working on putting up two new Old Age Homes because they have simply run out of room for people. But as well as simply just finding a place to live, the pricing of the housing is way too expensive.
People over 65 represent 6.5% of the total Canadian population in 2006 (Highlight, 2010). This number is slowly increasing and within urban centres their population is 15.5% (Highlight, 2010). Senior households were 14.4% more likely to be in core housing need that non-senior households (Highlight, 2010). This is caused by the affordability of the housing, as many are on a limited income.
It is also hard for someone to admit that they need help, especially in the older generations because they have worked so hard their entire lives to make a successful life. I know this from personal experience because my Great Great Aunt, was finally put into an old age home (she's 92). Where she lives now she must be independent and able to dress herself and make her way to the main dining room. This still stripped some of her freedoms because there was a schedule they had to follow, and only certain activities were permitted. I believe the housing issue wouldn't be that big a deal if the homes were more appealing to the elderly.
Our government needs to realize that the elderly are continuing to take over the larger percentage for needs and wants because of their baby boomer generation. They need to accommodate them to the best of their abilities. This requires affordable housing which can be a comfortable environment for everyone. The housing market for the elderly will continue to prove to be a problem until the government and cities realize that this is in fact a major recent social issue. Everyone deserves to the right to a safe and healthy living area, and for the elders there is no exception.
-Amy
2006 Census Housing Series. (n.d.).Research Highlight. Retrieved October 31, 2012, from publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2011/schl-cmhc/NH18-23-110-021-eng.pdf
Yes the price of housing now days is extremely expensive. How can one expect an elderly person that probably isn't getting much of an income besides a possible pension plan to pay for their own housing, even if it is just an apartment.I agree with what you said about the more appealing elderly homes. Who really wants to go live in a home where you have to follow rules and time schedules when for most of your life you were used to doing things on your own will. But unfortunately that may be unrealistic to change. It costs a lot of money to keep one running and if the residents could do whatever they wanted, when they wanted their must be some chaos. I think that if the government put in place a few more homes that could be changed into a different type of building in a few years it would be a good investment.
ReplyDelete- Chelsea L
As the Baby Boomers age, I fear that many necessities will fall into scarcity if we don't start changing pace. Housing is definitely one of these essentials. Other things I also grow apprehensive about are the services and health care provided for them. From what I see, we are not prepared to accommodate this generation in our hospitals as they approach an age where the human body becomes feeble and susceptible to sickness. The number of nurses, personal support workers, mental health care workers and such need to rise in order to provide swift and effective service to the Baby Boomers.
ReplyDelete~ Valerie
I'm noticing that trend here in the Sault. Many people seeking post secondary education are enrolled in nursing, personal support work, and the other health fields as they see a rising demand for these skills. On the other hand, those who are currently employed in the health fields are expected to take on more work to carry the load. I hunch this is also due to changes in funding as people are being expected to stretch hours and take on heavier work loads for the same pay. I agree that this is becoming a major concern.
DeleteKayla T.
This hits home with me because my grandfather is currently living in a home in Shelburne ON. He had cancer, fought against it, and won. They day he was going to go back to work he had a stroke and is now paralyzed on the right side of his body. Before this happened he was used to doing everything himself and being very independent. Now he has to rely on others to help him with day to day activities. The home that he is in is located a block from where his wife (my grandma) lives which is nice and convenient for her. However, that is the only family that lives in Shelburne. This could potentially have a devastating effect on her as well. Most people say the caregiver burns out before the person they are taking care of. They have attempted to move my grandpa up to Sault Ste. Marie with no luck. He has been on the waiting list to come here for the last 7 years. If there were more beds and rooms there would have been a chance to have him here. If he were here he could have his family around all the time as support which could help him in recovery. He is originally from Sault Ste. Marie and this is where he wants to be but, that will not happen because of the lack of room in the homes.
ReplyDeleteBritney (LGBT)
Housing in general is very expensive at the current time. I do believe that makes it very difficult for elders to find afordable places to live on their reduced income. But on the other hand they have no choice to live where they can, because there are such long waiting lists for elders to get into the homes. I know that living in a retirement home is not any cheaper than living on your own. I understand that elders do not like leaving their homes because they have worked so hard to build and maintain their home that they dont want to just let it slip away. I feel that there are many negative things that come along with living in a home, but there are also negative things that come along with living on your own. Living in a home you have to eat at the times you are expcted to eat, shower when you are told, you are only allowed to have a certain number of depends each day. I feel that being in a retirement home is where elders feel that they are uncapable of being independent and have a hard time in general with the fact that they are aging. I know this first hand because I was in school for nursing, and was also one reason why I decided to work in another human services field. But on the other hand, they no longer have to do their driveways, maintenance on their home and worry about being alone, especially if they need help with day to day things. Although that is where home care comes in, but is still challenging. The government needs to realize that there needs to be more affortable housing complexes for the elderly to reside, with their own freedom if they are cognitively capable to have it, so that ending stages of their lives can be enjoyable and care free.
ReplyDeleteAlysha (LGBT)
I find it heartbreaking to know that elders who can not afford their own homes and forced to move out and find a new place to live. However, this is easier said than done. The ridiculous prices of housing today are next to impossible for older adults to afford. My grandparents have lived in the same house since they moved to Sault Ste Marie 50 years ago. I can not fathom the thought of them having to leave behind the house that they have raised their family in to move into a home or care facility. In ways, this is stripping elders of their humanity. Putting myself in the shoes of an older adult, I really hope that this issue is solved or improved in the future.
ReplyDelete-Jenna
I haven't lived here in the Sault for very long, just a few months so before reading this blog and the comments I was not aware of the housing situation up North here. I am from a small town just outside of Toronto and I know that we had a problem with housing as well. Especially with the retirement homes. The one that I worked at had a waiting list for people that wanted to move in. People were coming from other towns trying to see if they could find somewhere for themselves or someone close to them to live. I hope that this problem can be fixed in the future.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra
Being in the older adults group, I have done a lot of research on issues concerning this group. Older adults face so many hardships in their everyday lives and not having a affordable housing available to seniors makes these hardships much worse. The government can't possibly think that the average amount of pension that older adults receive is enough to not only live the rest of their lives off of but enough to simply provide a roof over their heads. With the cost of living today and the low pensions older adults receive it is impossible for older adults to live comfortably after retirement or when they can no longer work. This is a huge problem in societies around the world today since the majority of our population is older adults. Affordable housing is an issue that only continues to get worse as time passes. I strongly agree with you Amy, that the government must address this issue to ensure the needs of older adults are meet and not ignored.
ReplyDelete-Lindsay