OLDS – The provincial government’s Tuesday announcement that funding for the Lodge Assistance Program has been increased 55 per cent comes as welcomed, although not necessarily surprising, news for Mountain View Seniors’ Housing (MVSH).
“We are grateful for the increase,” Stacey Stilling, MVSH chief administrative officer, told the Albertan by email in response to follow-up questions.
Based out of Olds, MVSH has seniors’ care centres there as well as in Sundre, Didsbury, and Carstairs for low- to moderate-income seniors.
The increased funding provided through Budget 2024 announced June 4 comes as a result of collaborative efforts with the Alberta government, said Stilling.
“This grant has been a funding aspect operators have highlighted over the past several years,” she said, adding it was last increased in 2018.
The Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services has over the last year been coordinating with operators such as MVSH to understand the successes, challenges, and complexities of how the program is offered and funded, she said.
“The ministry has listened and advocated to Treasury for us – and the work we do and the people we do it for – and it was unquestionably needed and appreciated!” she said.
According to an Alberta government press release issued earlier today – Tuesday, June 4 – funding for the grant program was increased by $20 million to further assist seniors lodge operators support low-income residents.
“This represents a funding increase of more than 50 per cent and brings the total investment to $60 million,” reads part of the press release.
The provincial government says lodge providers will now be able to claim $20.50 per day per eligible low-income resident under this grant program, as compared with the previously budgeted $13.23 – a 55 per cent increase.
The grant goes directly to an operator such as MVSH as a housing management body and provider of lodge accommodation and services, Stilling said.
“It is not monies directly allocated to the residents,” she clarified. “We use aspects of both resident income and vacancies to report for the funding.”
MVSH has not been immune to the inflationary pressures felt throughout the economy, she said.
“On a day-to-day basis, this funding helps us to continue to provide the great services and home-like environment our residents and their loved ones have come to know and depend on,” she said.
“This funding will continue to be used by Mountain View Seniors’ Housing to offset cost pressures and operating deficits which we – like others – have seen increasing year over year.”
But trying to stay ahead of rising costs is an ongoing effort, she said, adding “the carbon levy alone is significant to our expenses.”
Reportedly the oldest social housing initiative in the province, the Seniors Lodge Program “provides meals, housekeeping services and recreational opportunities for independent seniors,” states the release.
“The Lodge Assistance Program provides operators with funding to help ensure they have the supports needed to provide these services to low-income seniors,” it adds.
According to the provincial government, there are 11,000 seniors lodge units in Alberta, of which about 4,850 are in rural communities.
Under the Alberta Housing Act, seniors living in government-supported lodges must be left with at least $357 in monthly disposable income after paying the monthly lodge rate, an amount that is indexed to inflation.
