Shelter for seniors facing homelessness; stories from Calgary

The Unison at Kerby Centre has long been a place for seniors to turn to for a variety of resources. 

And it partners with numerous agencies that offer housing to find people a place to live, most desperate for affordable options.

But in the first half of 2024, the not-for-profit organization has seen a disturbing trend.

This is the first in a 660 NewsRadio five-part series, ‘Shelter for Seniors Facing Homelessness; Stories from Calgary,’ where reporter Nadia Moharib explores how the cost-of-living crisis is forcing more elderly Calgarians to live on the cusp of homelessness.

Shelters for Seniors (Part 1)

Less than 2% of hundreds of seniors looking for housing in the first half of 2024 find it; a “frightening” reality

For many seniors who are applying for subsidized housing, the days are gone where they put in a request for a specific community or quadrant of the city. 

So desperate to get anything, most will take what they get and hope they get something. 

With wait lists sitting at about 12 months for some locations and up to two to three years for others, the task of landing a home is proving increasingly challenging. 

And Larry Mathieson, Unison’s president and CEO, says they are seeing a worrisome hike in numbers. 

“So far this year, we’ve seen over 600 seniors coming to ask us for help to try to find housing,” he says. “So, that number partway through the year is probably up about maybe 25 per cent, maybe 30 per cent year than any year, let’s say before COVID. And so the increase at this point of the year is a bit concerning for us.”

It gets worse.

“I think one of the things that is more disturbing for us — of those 612 seniors who come to our door, less than two per cent of them have been able to find low-income or subsidized housing. And that is a bit of a frightening number for us, for sure.”

When 84-year-old, Maureen, (who asked to be identified by her first name only,) ended up with nowhere she could afford she moved in with her daughter. 

Because her cat isn’t permitted in the building, she opted to stay in her car, during the recent heat wave, while her daughter helped in the search for a home. 

“Her name is Katie, she’s 15 years old. I know her time is coming to an end, but I’m just not ready to let her go yet,” Maureen says. “I’ve lived in houses most of my life. I’ve always rented but I always had a house for me and my kids. I had five kids.

“I knew it was rough. But I didn’t  know it was this bad. I phoned the shelters and even they are full. They told me not to go to one of those because you have to go out for the day and I’m too old for that and they don’t take a cat.”

Her daughter says it was a daunting task of dead-ends, diversions and wait lists.

“We have phoned 211, 311 and we phoned that place where they subsidize your rent. We’ve called Kerby and we called another place which told her to call the YMCA everyday and told her to put her name on the list for a bed. They told her to go to the downtown shelter, to call the seniors’ shelter, it’s full. Even her doctor’s office has said to her that if you want to keep your cat, you’re not going to find a place right away and you’ll be living in your car.”

“I just don’t even know what to do anymore,” she added. “I phoned churches and someone told me to call the Legion but if you’re not a veteran they don’t help. I even tried to find her a room to rent in someone’s home and you’re looking at $900 but when you are on a fixed income, how do you even pay that? I guess you have to wait for someone to die or to go on assisted living. You just never know when that is going to happen.”

Maureen knows her case is a bit more difficult given she has a pet but there’s no doubt many seniors struggle to find a place even without one. 

“I know there are a lot of people worse off than I am,” she says. “They gotta help the old people. It is scary because there are a lot of seniors in the same boat I’m in.”

Fortunately, Maureen found a place. Next up, we’ll talk to a senior who didn’t — spending a year living in an encampment.

If you have any feedback on this series please email nadia.moharib@rci.rogers.com.