Seniors Living or a death sentence?

When a senior hears the words ‘seniors’ home’ or ‘seniors living’, most people think that it is a death sentence and its their final stop before death. However, most seniors that l know who have been hesitant to move into a retirement home, have been pleasantly surprised.

Many of these centres are more than retirement homes, they have become the centre or the meeting space for many communities and their families.

The Portuguese community has not had a centre that it calls its official retirement home. For example, the Greeks have the Hellenic Home for The Aged or the Italians with their Columbus Centre. The Portuguese community, have tried very hard in the past to create a centre and put the community at a level with other groups to service its senior’s community. The goal is to focus on a long-term care facility and a senior centre within the community.
The recent announcement by the former provincial government where beds would be allocated to the Magellan Project has been a wonderful advancement for the Portuguese community.

Seniors on basic pensions may have limited options when they are ready to move to seniors housing. Although there are affordable subsidized retirement home rates, most are in high demand with long wait lists. Seniors who want more control over their retirement living options look for private pay retirement homes and use their own funds beyond government pension to pay for seniors housing. This is one of the major reasons most communities set up their own centres to try and look after their own communities the best way possible. Senior housing costs in Ontario are very expensive and most people cannot afford private seniors living.

Costs can vary greatly with senior housing depending on factors such as unit size, services needed and location of the community. While many people have planned for senior living care, sometimes they do not realize how much it will cost until they actually start looking. Fortunately, there are many ways to pay for senior housing using your own private sources. In most cases, the private financial setors don’t allow many to be able to pay for these services. That’s when government subsidies and assistance come into play and the Portuguese community has a wonderful opportunity to fulfill a dream.

We must be able to provide elderly Portuguese-Canadians with affordable, high quality and cultural sensitive long-term care. A long-term care facility that incorporates various elements of Portuguese culture to create an environment of peace, community, and comfort is needed.

There is a growing need in the community to educate seniors about their options as they continue to age. Families making plans for the care of their loved ones, and the individuals themselves, need to know about the care and services that other communities receive. The Portuguese community needs to establish a well-equipped centre, with seniors support to achieve a goal of living independently for as long as possible.

The Portuguese community needs a senior centre and long-term care facility to cater to the growing population of elderly Portuguese citizens. The level and complexity of care needed within the community is changing. We need a senior’s home for the elderly who are no longer able to physically take care of themselves in their own homes. Long-term care homes are designed for people who require availability of 24-hour nursing care and supervision within a secure setting.

A new centre incorporating extensive community service programs to cater to the Portuguese community and help facilitate growth in areas including arts, youth and cultural programs. It can also offer different programs from a broad range of dance, music, and cooking and be a new vibrant cultural centre for all ages.
The opportunity to create a foundation of Portuguese culture with a new long-term care facility as its centrepiece is a real possibility and the time is here to get behind the new Magellan Project.

Vince Black