Jason Nixon (Government of Alberta)

By Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

sustainability

Op-ed: Lodge review panel to help seniors age in their communities

Feb 26, 2024 | 11:05 AM

Communities are better with grandma and grandpa in them. That is why Alberta’s government wants to ensure that senior’s lodges are vibrant community spaces that meet the needs of seniors across the province – from our smallest communities to our biggest cities.

In my mandate letter from Premier Smith, I have been tasked to work with seniors lodge providers to undergo a planned review for the purpose of expanding senior’s lodges and facilities to keep up with increased growth and demand. Alberta’s government believes that it is best when grandma and grandpa can live in their chosen community with their family and friends. Whether that is in our largest cities or in rural communities, seniors deserve these facilities to call home as they age.

In January, I announced that our government is convening a panel to review the Seniors Lodge Program and offer recommendations for its continued sustainability. The Seniors Lodge Program is Alberta’s oldest affordable housing program, and we believe that the over 8,000 senior households who reside in our network of lodges across the province deserve a program that works for them and responds to their needs.

I am proud to have two individuals, both extremely knowledgeable in the social housing and seniors-serving sectors, leading this review. Brandon Lunty, MLA for Leduc-Beaumont, and Arlene Adamson, the president of the Alberta Seniors and Community Housing Association, will co-chair our panel of experts and hear from senior-serving organizations, lodge residents, and their family members to ensure that seniors have input in the review process. As a rural Albertan, recognizing that the role of lodges differs in urban and rural settings, rural Alberta has strong representation on the panel, and we will ensure that rural voices are heard and their needs are considered.

The panel will consider how to make the most of existing lodge spaces, ways to make the program sustainable into the future, and ensuring it meets the needs of seniors so they can age in their chosen communities. The seniors lodge review also gives us an opportunity to smooth the transition between seniors’ independent living options and continuing care to ensure seniors have access to support when and where they need it.

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I have the utmost faith that the panel will engage in thoughtful consideration and provide insightful recommendations to improve our system. Our partners in this sector will tell us what is working well in this program, how it can continue serving seniors, and what improvements should be made. Their contribution is imperative to ensure we get the best out of our system from those who live and work in it every day.

I would like to thank the members of this panel for taking on this important work. I look forward to hearing about your many conversations and eagerly await the results of your work in the spring.

We will continue to listen to Alberta’s seniors and our partners to ensure we have a robust and sustainable lodge program that provides opportunities for transitions across the continuum of care.

Jason Nixon is the Alberta minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services.

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