Seniors' Advocate calls for a 90-day pause to rate increases at personal care homes

Seniors’ advocate Susan Walsh says some seniors have received a 30-day notice of the increase and fear not having time to explore alternate options and ultimately eviction if they cannot afford the increased rate. 

The province’s Seniors’ Advocate has issued a statement about recent hikes for private paying residents in personal care homes or PCHs. Last month, the Health Minister announced the increase to support operators with accepting more residents with higher care needs, as well as recruitment and retention of PCH workers. Seniors’ advocate Susan Walsh says she has been contacted by numerous private-pay residents and family members who have been notified that their rates will also increase and they are very concerned. Some have received a 30-day notice of the increase and fear not having time to explore alternate options and ultimately eviction if they cannot afford the increased rate.  Walsh says they know the challenge they will face seeking affordable, accessible and safe housing in a market with little to no vacancies and accessing services to meet their care requirements. Just over 600 seniors may be impacted by the recent rate increases and a large proportion of these do require some level of care. Walsh is asking for a pause on rate increases, specifically, that residents receive a minimum notice of 90-days before the new rates are implemented.