The survival of non-profit seniors’ residences (RPA-OSBL) is in danger in Quebec, according to a group of organizations. The increase in expenses, the shortage of manpower and the regulatory burden are in question, but Quebec ensures to respond to these concerns.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
The Auberge du bon temps in Sainte-Monique, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, announced in June that it was going to close. “We are a small residence in a small environment, and we had difficulty filling our studios,” explains the director of the RPA-OSBL of 20 apartments, Nancy Brisson. And it got worse with COVID-19, she says, because “with all the bad press there has been, people who are somewhat independent don’t want to go to a residence for the elderly”.
“We also have difficulty finding employees,” says the director. It was also “unthinkable” for him in this context to pay for the installation of sprinklers, as now required by the regulations, despite the subsidy offered1 by the Department of Health and Social Services.
Fifteen people were still living at the Auberge du bon temps when it closed. Most moved to Alma, “but it was very difficult [pour elles] to find something affordable,” says Ms.me Brisson.
“Since 2021, more than 11 RPA-OSBLs totaling more than 250 units have been forced to close their doors”, indicates the Quebec Network of Housing OSBLs (RQOH) in a press release. In addition, “half of the RPA-NPOs reported that their existence would be compromised if no help was provided to them within three to five years.”
According to the RQOH, there are 192 RPA-OSBLs representing 8,400 rental units in Quebec. They differ from other private RPAs “by their mode of governance, their community roots and the type of clientele they serve: seniors with low or modest incomes or who have lived all their lives in rural areas”, explains the director. general of the RQOH, André Castonguay, quoted in the press release.
PHOTO FROM THE AUBERGE DU BON TEMPS FACEBOOK PAGE
The Auberge du bon temps, in Sainte-Monique, is now closed.
The fate of the Auberge du bon temps reflects the difficulties in the community: increased expenses and the regulatory burden, labor shortages and loss of attractiveness weigh down RPA-OSBLs, according to the RQOH.
Richard Maziade, president of the Regional Federation of Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec housing NPOs and director of the Le Jardin residence in Trois-Rivières, also points to the administrative burden, which eats up a lot of his time.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY RICHARD MAZIADE
We have many of our members who are in difficulty. [La résidence] I’m running isn’t in trouble immediately, but it will happen.
Richard Maziade
In addition, the fact that the care offered in RPA-NPOs is not funded by Quebec weighs heavily, according to Mr. Maziade, while the clientele often already arrives in loss of autonomy. “We’re going like a dead end,” he drops.
Invited to react, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) says it is “completely aware and sensitive to the issues experienced by private seniors’ residences, whether they are for-profit or not”.
Spokesperson Marjorie Larouche highlights the improvements included in the new version of the Regulation respecting the certification of private seniors’ residences, which will come into force in December. This provides for “a category specific to RPA [sans but lucratif] welcoming independent residents and flexibility has been made for these types of residences […] following discussions with the RQOH,” she says.
With regard to the financing of care, the new regulation “requires the operator of an RPA to enter into an agreement with the CISSS/CIUSSS concerned, establishing in particular the terms and conditions for the provision of services”, concludes Mr.me Larouche.