English-only care home in Eastern Townships facing financial strain

One of theEnglish long-term care homes in the Eastern Townships is hoping the province can help it address its financial woes.

For the past five years, the Wales Home in Richmond, Que., has had to rely on its foundation to help cover a $1.7 million operatingdeficit.

About 85 seniors call the WalesCHSLDhome.

"Many are elderly English-speaking people. They didn't learn French when they were young," said Keith Baldwin, a resident and head of the Wales CHSLD users committee.

Currently, the not-for-profit facility is designated as a private, non-subsidized home but its executive director, BrendaleePiironen, hopesQuebec will consider changing its status in order tomake it eligible for subsidies.

Increasing rent for the residents isn't an option sinceWales residents already face larger monthly costs than residents of public or private subsidized homes.

The residents are also required to cover the cost of their medication and supplies.

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"Two minutes down the road, there's a CHSLDwherethe residents pay a maximum of $1,811 month," Piironen said. "Our residents here pay 180 per cent more."

In order to maintain its level of services, the administration has had to borrow money from its foundation.

"We're a burden on the foundation," said Piironen, who points out that the money was intendedto provide financial aid to residents as well as pay for capital improvements.

The financial concerns also forced the Wales Home to put on holdplans to expandin order to accommodate 32 additional anglophone seniors who are on a waiting list.

"We know there's a need, we want to be the facility to do it," said Piironen. "In order to do that, we need to have more staff."

The Argyll pavilion of the old Sherbrooke Hospital is sometimes used as a housing option while residents wait for a permanent home, but Piironen said it's not ideal.

"They do have some English services, but their staffing is not like here. Here, it's 100per cent English," said Piironen.

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The regional health agency that oversees the Eastern Townships The Centre intgr universitaire de sant et de services sociaux de l'Estrie Centre Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS-CHUS) has a waiting list of its own.

Close to 180 seniors are waiting for CHSLD-type housing in the Eastern Townships.

Piironen points out that seniors are often kept hospitalized while waiting for a permanent place in a CHSLD, occupying beds that could be used to relieve an overburdened healthcare system.

The CBC reached out to the CIUSSS-CHUS for comment, but their representatives were unavailable until next week due to the holiday break.

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