When delaying moving to a residence has harmful consequences

By: The Résidences Québec Housing Counsellors

Mrs. Ouimet called Résidences-Québec looking for help. She had been shopping around for a private residence for her parents, aged 81 and 84. Here is their true story, told under false names to preserve their anonymity. Thanks to Résidences-Québec, their story has a happy ending. We would like to share this story with you because it happens too often among those who look to Résidences-Québec for help. We would like families to be more proactive and plan ahead when it comes time to look for a home, even if it is a difficult transition. We’re here for you!
Mr. and Mrs. Ouimet: divided, then reunited
Mister and Madam Ouimet have been married for 60 years and love each other just as much as when they first met, despite time passing and many hardships, including illnesses that have progressed over time. They planned to move to a residence in their neighbourhood where they could live together happily even if old age made life a bit more uncomfortable. It was the perfect residence. They counted on moving there within a few months, knowing that their need for care was growing. But life decided otherwise. They waited a bit too long.
One unfortunate morning, Mrs. Ouimet fell getting out of the bath and broke her hip. She was hospitalized and after a long period of recovery, she had to leave the hospital without the possibility of returning to her home. Her family asked the hospital if she could go back to where the couple lived together but because of a shortage of spots, it just wasn’t possible. The Ouimets then asked for her to be placed in a public residence close to their home so they could see each other easily. This was also impossible according to the social worker at the hospital, again due to a lack of spots in public residences. The doctor imposed a “cannot return home diagnosis” so Mrs. Ouimet had to leave her old life behind because of her situation.
A tiring journey for Mrs. Ouimet
This is where the unfortunate housing process began for the Ouimet family, too late and unplanned. They found themselves in the same situation as many other Quebec families. Spots in public housing are quota-driven and as she had to leave the hospital quickly, Mrs. Ouimet was placed in the first public residence that had space available, a forty-minute drive from her ideal location. She would have preferred to be in the same neighbourhood as her previous residence so that her husband and children could visit her, making it a little easier to have to leave her home. Sadly, she then learned that not only would she be placed somewhere very far from her family and her home but that it was only a temporary residence, a “place where she would be evaluated and oriented”, which meant that she would have to move yet again within a month. This unfamiliar residence would accommodate her only while she waited for her first choice of residence. They explain to Mrs. Ouimet that she could be in this “transfer” housing, far from her family and her ideal neighbourhood for a period of 6 months to one year, while waiting for a spot in the residence of her choice. That would be a total of three moves, without counting her stay at the hospital, that Mrs. Ouimet would endure in the space of 6 months to 2 years while waiting for her first choice in a public residence in order to live once again with her husband. She felt tired, weak and couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

This unfortunate situation happens all too often when Quebec families don’t plan ahead for their housing needs. The healthcare system in Quebec does its best to accommodate everyone’s needs and offers excellent service but there is currently a shortage of spaces available in public residences everywhere in Quebec and they count on Quebec families to participate actively in planning for their old age.
Mr. Ouimet alone at home
During this time, Mrs. Ouimet’s husband, aged 81, has health problems that are deteriorating in his wife’s absence. His daily life is no longer the same without his wife by his side and he faces many difficulties. He had his driver’s license revoked after having a stroke last year. That means he has to rely on public transport in good weather and in bad and spends over an hour and a half going to see his wife everyday using public transportation. His health is weakened everyday that passes, until he can longer take care of himself. He looks to the CLSC for help in order to move into the same residence as his wife. They tell him that a social worker will stop by to evaluate his the state of his health within a few weeks but that in the meantime he has to make do on his own or with the help of his family. The amount of time he’ll have to wait for the social worker leaves him feeling disheartened. It could take up to 2-3 months for the social worker to place a non-urgent housing request and once that request has been sent, he could still wait between 6 months and one year until he is placed in a public residence. Because none of his children is able to take care of him and not being able to see a possible solution for this unpleasant situation, his condition worsens. After the ambulance drivers have to attend to Mr. Ouimet for generalized weakness, he is sent to the hospital and goes through the same urgent relocation process that his wife went through when she broke her hip.

The future doesn’t look as bright as it could: after 60 years of living together, there is a lot of distance between husband and wife, all because there aren’t enough spots in public residences. Will they see each other again? Will they have the strength to live out their last days together in the residence of their dreams? The Ouimet family starts to worry and they regret that they didn’t move their parents to a residence that could take care of them as soon as their health showed signs of deterioration instead of waiting until it reached such a devastating point. Private, accredited residences will accommodate you once your need for care increases. It is at that moment that it’s so important to begin looking for a private residence.
Résidences-Québec saves the day!
This scenario is typical of the kind of requests that we, at Résidences-Québec receive very often. We were able to exceed the Ouimet family’s expectations by providing them with an apartment with services adapted to their needs but where they could also take advantage of the autonomy that they still had. The couple, now reunited can live their lives happily for many days to come.
Social workers, staff and our housing counsellors can attest to the fact that this is the unfortunate situation that many seniors find themselves in when they don’t plan ahead for their housing needs or they wait too long to address their growing needs. Once you’ve been hospitalized for a fall, fracture, or a health problem that is getting worse, you risk losing control of your ideal ageing plan. The health network is here to help, not to take over any plans you have for your old age. Why wait to move to a safe and helpful place once you know exactly what kind of help you need? Sadly, nobody is safe from a debilitating fall, a tragedy or an illness like Alzheimer’s that progresses quickly. Once you begin thinking about your housing options and if you have a health problem, in order to avoid frustrating situations, prevent rather than react is the right attitude to have. It’s very hard to leave the home you’ve lived in for so long. We understand and we are here for you. At Résidences-Québec, housing counsellors are available to help you through this process and facilitate the transition to a new living environment. We can recommend reputable residences in the area of your choosing and will guide you toward the best option according to your search criteria, all for free. Don’t let illness or unpredictable events decide how you’ll live your life, use our services instead.
When you’ve planned your move to a residence in advance, you save yourself stress and anxiety as well as reducing risks along the way. It’s a step in the right direction, a step toward peace of mind and guaranteed happiness in your old age. We look forward to helping you through this process! We’re here for you! Call us at 1-844-422-2555.

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