9/7/12 New assisted living for seniors at Bruyère Village

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The apartments consist of a mix of one- and tw o-bedroom units, some w ith dens and balconies. They range in size from 688

square feet to 983 square feet and can accommodate w heelchairs. Many have river and sunset view s.

New assisted living for seniors at Bruyère Village

BY MARIA COOK, OTTAWA CITIZEN AUGUST 29, 2012

“Of course I’m going to be happy there,” says Jeannine Rousseau, 89, talking about an innovative

new housing community for seniors in Orléans. “I can hardly wait.”

The great-grandmother of 16 and Senators hockey fan will soon trade her co-op bachelor apartment

in Chinatown for a one-bedroom unit at Bruyère Village.

The $70-million project is a novel concept for Ottawa and among the few in Ontario. The village

combines affordable housing, independent living, assisted living and long-term care all on one

campus, together with on-site health and social services.

It’s one-stop shopping for adults aged 60 and older. The goal is to provide a place where people can

maintain a healthy lifestyle, remain independent as long as possible, and receive assistance when

they need it — without having to move.

A similar initiative is underway at the not-for-profit Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre in Alta

Vista.

Bruyère Village is set on 27 acres of land on the banks of the Ottawa River, off Hiawatha Park Road.

There are two existing buildings: a 198-bed long-term care home, Résidence Saint-Louis, built in

1966, and a convent. Four new low-rise buildings with 227 apartments are under construction.

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“Visionary” is the word used by Chantale LeClerc, chief executive of the Champlain Local Health

Integration Network (LHIN), the agency that oversees health care in the region.

“It has certainly filled a need,” she says. “People are excited by the idea of being able to access

everything that they might need in one place and not have to worry about what happens when their

care needs change over time.”

The village model is expected to save health care dollars and alleviate pressure on hospitals. One in

five hospital beds are occupied by patients waiting to be transferred to their own home, supportive

housing or long-term care.

However, studies show that up to 17 per cent of long-term care residents could be in assisted living: it

costs the health care system $50 a day per person for assisted living services versus $153 a day for

long-term care.

Bruyère Continuing Care is behind the ambitious project. The not-for-profit health group runs facilities

that were first established by the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa, including Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital.

The village is being built on land owned since 1886 by the Sisters.

“It’s no small feat,” LeClerc says. “You need an organization that has a vision for what seniors’ care

could be and has the talent, the ability and the skills to do it.”

A small group of elderly nuns continues to live in the park-like setting. A 20-foot high cross

commemorates the loss of 15 lives in 1956 when a CF-100 jet fell from the sky and hit their convent.

“It’s a beautiful site, unbelievable site,” says project architect David Bull, of Edward J. Cuhaci and

Associates Architects (working in association with MMMC Inc. Architects.) “It’s close to Orléans, but in

the same breath it’s kind of secluded.”

The new idea is to combine housing, health and support services, and healthy aging programs in one

location.

“The way that we’re going to improve the health care system is if we can provide services when

people need them and be more preventive so people can engage in activities that are going to keep

them healthy,” says Amy Porteous, Bruyère’s senior director of planning and residential programs.

The village is opening in two phases. The first part opens in November. This is the independent living

section, for people who can manage on their own. The three buildings contain 78 apartments and are

at the edge of the site across a treed ravine.

Each three-storey building offers an elevator, a hospitality suite for overnight guests, and a lounge.

The apartments consist of a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, some with dens and balconies. They

range in size from 688 square feet to 983 square feet and can accommodate wheelchairs. Many have

river and sunset views.

9/7/12 New assisted living for seniors at Bruyère Village

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Among them are 45 affordable housing units, which cost $809 to $1,041 a month with utilities. The

regular-priced apartments go for $1,980 to $2,757 per month. So far, 50 per cent are rented.

Rousseau has taken an independent living apartment. She shops, cooks and looks after herself,

despite fading eyesight, hearing loss, and arthritic knees (she uses a walker). “I can’t get over how

well I am for my age.”

Her secret? A shot of brandy in her morning coffee. That, and having eight children, though the death

of a 17-year-old son was almost unbearable.

Widowed at age 47, Rousseau worked as a cashier at movie theatres and was famous among city

health inspectors for keeping the cleanest candy bar in town.

She is excited about having more space so that her family can come for meals. Her 52-inch TV (the

better to see a puck) will fit nicely and she’s looking forward to fresh air near the river and to daily

mass at the chapel.

“I like to be independent.”

Bruyère’s second phase is scheduled to open in January 2014. A large four-storey building

connected to the Résidence Saint-Louis will house 149 assisted-living apartments. They are designed

for people who need help with daily activities, and include weekly housekeeping and a 24-hour

emergency response system.

For residents who need a higher level of care, for example if they have dementia, 36 of the

apartments are studios, arranged in four clusters with common kitchen, dining and living areas. These

are staffed on a 24-hour basis. Activities such as meal preparation or shopping will take place in a

group.

The Champlain LHIN will provide funding for round-the-clock access to personal services such as

bathing, changing, toileting or medication reminders to 70 of the most frail residents.

Assisted-living units will cost about $2,500 to $3,500 a month. Care is provided by personal support

workers and care coordinators.

“We think it’s a great idea,” says Bernard Bouchard, executive director of the Council on Aging of

Ottawa.

“It certainly fits into what the council has been promoting, this idea of aging at home and staying in the

community and looking at ways to help people keep their independence as long as possible.”

Residents who eventually need nursing care do not get priority at the Résidence Saint-Louis; access

to long-term care is controlled by the regional Community Care Access Centre, which keeps a waiting

list. However, village staff will recognize early when a person should apply for long-term care, and will

work to maintain them during the wait for a bed.

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The village’s continuous-care spectrum allows couples to stay together in sickness and in health. For

instance, the spouse of a long-term care resident can live minutes away in an independent or

assisted-living apartment.

Whereas people live in self-contained apartments, daily life will focus around an indoor village centre

— a hub of social events, recreation, learning and other activities. It is being built on the linked

ground floors of the assisted-living building and the Résidence Saint-Louis.

Here, residents will be able to visit a physiotherapy clinic, go to the gym, pop into a convenience store

and have their hair done at a salon.

Plans include computer training, cooking classes, and educational sessions on chronic disease

management. There will be a library, arts and crafts room, music room, games room, café, lounges

and pub.

A family health clinic is under discussion and the cafeteria at the Résidence Saint Louis will get a

facelift. Residents have the option of making their own meals, eating in the cafeteria or receiving

meals on wheels.

Village people will be encouraged to share their interests, be it storytelling, showing slides, playing

bridge or leading a painting class.

Bruyère is working with various community agencies to bring services and activities to the site. The

village will also reach out by inviting local seniors to use their facilities, and providing some assisted-

living services to people in the surrounding area.

The main challenge is money, says chief financial officer Daniel Levac.

Of the $70-million construction cost, $55.1 million will be financed through long-term borrowing by

Bruyère and recovered through rents.

The rest comes from federal and provincial grants ($5.4 million); City of Ottawa fee and development

charge waivers ($1.6 million); Bruyère contributions and Sisters of Charity land ($7.9 million.)

The villages will be closely watched “so we can learn from them and determine how they can be

replicated,” says LeClerc. “The thinking is that they will provide alternatives to long-term-care homes.”

Bruyère and the Perley and Rideau began planning the two villages in 2007 to meet a need both for

affordable housing and supportive housing.

In Ottawa, about 1,000 people over 65 are on a waiting list for subsidized accommodation. A third of

the region’s seniors have an annual income of less than $20,000.

According to a recent survey, 23 per cent of seniors in Ottawa need help with the basic activities of

daily living, such as meal preparation, shopping, personal care and housework.

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The apartments consist of a mix of one- and tw o-bedroom units, some w ith dens and balconies. They range in size from 688

square feet to 983 square feet and can accommodate w heelchairs. Many have river and sunset view s.

Supportive housing, or assisted living is recognized by experts in gerontology as a cost-effective and

dignified option for seniors who need help.

“Our vision is to be the champion of aging Canadians and to really work with our community to meet

some of the unmet needs,” says Porteous.

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