The Seniors’ Advocate’s office has been contacted by numerous private-pay residents of personal care homes worried about what happens now that they’ve been notified of dramatic rate increases—in some cases with only 30 days’ notice.

Susan Walsh says more than 600 seniors living in personal care homes in the province are not subsidized and are paying privately.

The provincial government recently increased subsidized rates to make up for rising costs to personal care homes operators and to hire more staff, but since the change, private pay residents at homes have been informed that their rates are going up, in some cases dramatically.

Walsh says while the subsidy rate had not increased in over five years, the current increase of approximately 13 to 20 per cent is “a significant all-at-once increase for private paying residents on fixed incomes.” She told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly people are very worried.

“Panicked really, over what might happen here,” says Walsh. People are concerned about whether they’ll be evicted, and if they don’t qualify for a subsidy, where will they go?

She says all private-paying residents will require a financial reassessment to determine if they now qualify for a subsidy.