A new seniors' housing needs assessment for the Bow Valley predicts the population of seniors aged 75 and older is going to double over the next 10 years - and there's not enough supportive living to meet the demand.
A new seniors' housing needs assessment for the Bow Valley predicts the population of seniors aged 75 and older is going to double over the next 10 years - and there's not enough supportive living to meet the demand.
The assessment shows the new dementia wing at Origin at Spring Creek satisfies the expected short-term demand for dementia care, but all other forms of supportive living are currently at a deficit, including long-term care.
The consultant hired by Bow Valley Regional Housing Commission, IBI Group, concluded with the addition of new units at Bow River Lodge and Origin at Spring Creek there is an over supply of supportive living levels 1 and 2, but only in the short-term.
“In the past decade, the proportion of seniors choosing lodge housing has decreased,” said David Sol, a planner for IBI Group, in the needs assessment.
“Seniors are staying in their homes longer and then entering supportive living with a higher level of care requirements,” he added.
“There has also been an increase in alternatives, such as condominiums for seniors between their traditional family home and supportive living.”
Grant Canning, a Banff town councillor who sits on the Bow Valley Regional Housing board, said the most pressing need is for supported living levels 3 and 4, which provide a higher level of care.
“That's what this valley is missing,” he said. “That's not to say there isn't demand and more demand in the future for supportive living 1 and 2, but the immediate concern right now is supportive living 3 and 4.”
Supportive living provides accommodation in a home-like setting, where people can remain as independent as possible while they have access to accommodation and services that meet their changing needs. There are different levels of supportive living.
In the Bow Valley, there are approximately 207 supportive living and long-term care units across five facilities, including Bow River Lodge in Canmore, Origin at Spring Creek in Canmore, Golden Eagle View in Canmore, Cascade House in Banff and St. Martha's Place in Banff.
This number includes the net addition of 20 supported living level 2 units as part of the 63-unit project at Bow River Lodge and the supported living portion of Origin at the Spring Creek complex.
The Origin facility has a total of 110 units, of which 42 are reported as supportive living rentals and another 12 are contained in a dementia care wing.
“Bow Valley Regional Housing continues to lobby for higher levels of care for this community,” said Canning.
