2 ~ Wednesday, January 5, 1994 - Norin Shore News

srowing need for housing indicated by report

MOST NORTH Shore seniors
want (9 stay clear of institt.
tions, live independently in
private quarters and participate
in their communities.

By Kate Zimmerman
Contriniine Writer

This is one of the findings of a
recent report called The Breaking
Wave: Housing for Seniors an the
North Shore, written by the
Lionsview Seniors Planning
Sogiety.

Admost 700 seniors responded to
the society's housing survey ay
the past (8 months. Their responses
indicate a growing ave! for alfvord-
able. accessible housing for elderly,
North Shore residents.

Jimny Wilson, an comers protes-
sor now associated with the
Lionsview Society. says the most
surprising aspect of the report was
that many older North Shore res
dents ure now saying they want
seniors” housing of various types.

Sever! years ago they showed
scant interest in housing geared to
them, he says.

The report indicates that a total
of 36,000 people living on the

CALL US:

933-2206

North Shore. including these on
Indian biid. are over die age of 65,
Their chief considerations when
choosing a home are iuiceme,
whether they are living alone, their
age and theit quality af health,

The most disadvantaged group is
seniors whe live alone. Most of
them are women,

The report notes that this group
tends te be the poorest. the oldest
and the least Likely to own a vehi-
ely.

Some 226 of North Shore
serious five atinuatl incomes af fess
than STS.000. Wilson said these are
Ihe peupte who need the most help.

He points out that Uhere are
plenty of mature residents who i
doing fine and do not anced assis:
Ginee finding housing or in any
Other regard.

Bur it would be false to assunie
tiat they all dive in’ West
Vancouver, the tichest municipality
in Canada. Wilson points out that
there are many seniors, especially
in that district, who awn expensive
homes but have no money to paint
or repair tiem,

“They're sitting on top ef a pile
of money, but in order to gain
aceess to it, they have to move.” he
says. “To ask a 70- of 75-vear-ald
to pull up stakes and move to a

Place they don’t know, where they
dow t Kaw anyone, isa hel ata
thing doask of anybody

The essential requirements of
seniors” housing. according to the
repor, ae:

«affordability to people on mod-
est iaceines, who should not have
to spend more than 30% of theil
monthly budget on accommoda-
tions,

> manageability, with easy
decess. safety and uncomplicated
Uren:

sthe oppartunity to function as
an independent unit, with at least
rudimentary cguipment available
for making meals:

* convemtent location, mear
stares, offices, medical iid revere:
ational facilities, seniors’ centres
wad public transportation.

@ Classified ..0.0....,. .29
@ Crossword... .0000....33
Lifestyles. .....-.......25

Fhe report bates “massive
shifts’ in the igone pepulation
towards multi-unit ind senior cui
ven housing. Me strang denmand for
meditun-density housing avershid-
ows the aced for single: tamily
houses.

Thete isa particular demand for
what the report calls “supportive
housing.” which provides same in-
house services for residents,

These include:

* sheltered housing, clusters of
self-contained apartnents linked by
lari te a manuger;

‘special retircinent housing. or
independent units designed: speciti-
cally for seniors but offering no
services:

* conprepate housing. which ix
sheltered housing with meal and
otter services offered:

% North Shore Now ......13
WASports 00...
MTV Listings ...........19

Weather

Thursday: cloudy with sunny periods, 204 chance of rain,
high MC. low 2°C.

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s coopentive housing, which is
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call O8S-3852,

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