*Content note: This story contains mention of suicide.听
At first, it was anecdotal.听听
Emergency shelter workers across听the听Niagara region听noticing a few more seniors听showing up听at night, without anywhere else to go.听
Then, the听By-Name Data 鈥� a list of all people actively experiencing homelessness in the region 鈥� confirmed听it.听
Seniors now听represent听15 per cent of all people experiencing homelessness in Niagara, and the number of seniors experiencing homelessness for six months or longer is rising steadily.听
Many had fallen into听homelessness for the first time in their lives. They were getting stuck, unable to find an affordable, suitable place to call听home听and听forced to stay听in tents outside,听in encampments,听in cars, or in shelters.听
In many cases, staff working with seniors are finding their clients鈥� needs are more complex than most, with complicated health issues, extensive medication regimens, cognitive decline, accessibility challenges, limited financial means, and carrying a lot of shame.听
To respond to this reality, the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) and the Regional Municipality of Niagara partnered to create the听Aging with Dignity听project, funded through the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF) 鈥� a federal听Reaching Home听initiative led by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) to support innovative projects that rapidly and measurably reduce homelessness in communities across the country.听
In the first six months of operation,听Aging with Dignity听has helped 15 seniors find a permanent home.听
By the end of 12 months, this project aims to听more rapidly connect seniors experiencing homelessness听with safe, permanent housing, which will听ultimately reduce听chronic homelessness in the region by four per cent.听
鈥淚t 91影视 鈥檚听not just about housing.听It 91影视 鈥檚听about the accessibility of what they have to support their everyday independence … how can we support not only their physical听well-being, but听also respond to the emotional toll that comes with being newly homeless,鈥� said Bronwyn Campbell, a social worker with听Aging with Dignity.听
Aging with Dignity听created a multidisciplinary team of three clinical and non-clinical community-based听workers to provide a full suite of听support,听from financial and housing support听to referrals to community agencies, to听mental health counselling.听听
The team听has access to a flex fund they can use to support听clients and听offers 90 days of support for seniors after听they鈥檝e听moved into their new housing.听
鈥淲e鈥檙e听not just short-term planning.听We鈥檙e听making sure whatever plan听we鈥檙e听putting in place is听actually supporting听people to age with dignity and听maintain听their level of independence and support as they get older,鈥澨齭aid听Campbell.听
鈥楾his program was our lifeline鈥�听
There are many reasons why seniors are falling into homelessness, says Jasmine Winger, a community worker with the听Aging with Dignity听team.听
Stories pour out of her.听
One client听started having difficulties with her memory, which meant听missed rent payments, arrears and听ultimately eviction.听Others were听renovicted or听couldn鈥檛听afford rent after听a family breakdown听or a death in the family.听
There are听lots of medical issues,听Winger听says, whether听it 91影视 鈥檚听a long, unexpected medical admission and discharge into homelessness, or a听couple where the听primary income-earner becomes gravely ill and听their听income to pay rent disappears.听
鈥淎 lot of it comes down to the financial…听not knowing where to go at the end of the day for supports. A听lot of seniors听haven鈥檛听had to access supports for听most of听their lives听because听they鈥檝e听been able to听maintain听their housing and independence, until something happens,鈥� said听Winger.听
Once they become homeless, the biggest challenge,听Winger听says, is finding a place that is听both affordable and听accessible.听
鈥淥ften when I chat with someone about their ideal living situation, a lot of folks will say, 鈥業鈥檓 looking for a bachelor or a one-bedroom for anywhere between $700 and $800 a month,鈥欌�� said听Winger.听
鈥淭hat was the rental price 15-20 years ago.听I听have to听inform them of the harsh reality听that听we鈥檙e听now听looking at much higher rental prices,听maybe $1,700听to $1,800 per month.听It 91影视 鈥檚听a big shock for a lot of them, and their first question is, 鈥榟ow am I going to pay for that?鈥欌��听
Winger听says听that 91影视 鈥檚听where her and her colleagues come in, helping听seniors work through their financial and housing options, offering听counselling to听heal from the trauma of experiencing homelessness, and ensuring听a smooth transition into their new home.
“I became homeless unexpectedly, and it felt like my life was falling apart. I carried a deep sense of shame and uncertainty. At times it felt like this was the end for me. When I found out I was being connected to this program, things finally started to come together. I found the hope I had been desperately looking for.”
— George*, supported through Aging with Dignity
Elisabeth* said her life now is听very different听from when she听didn鈥檛听have housing.听
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 making the best choices around the people I was associating with, and I was using substances, which was leading me down a path I didn鈥檛 want for myself,鈥� said Elisabeth.听
鈥淏eing part of the program meant I could regain my independence and feel secure in my day-to-day life. I feel more stable and supported, and听I鈥檓听able to focus on my health and my relationships.听I鈥檓听attending all my medical听appointments听and taking steps to get both my physical and mental health back on track,鈥� she said.听
Early intervention is critical听
Paul, who recently moved into his own apartment after being supported by Aging with Dignity
Paul says he still听doesn鈥檛听understand why he was evicted from his apartment two months earlier. But when he was forced to leave, he ended up in a shelter, where he met Jasmine and the rest of the听Aging with Dignity听team.
鈥淔or the first couple of weeks, it was rough. I tried to commit suicide. I had a couple people over at the shelter talk to me, and I had Jasmine talk to me, saying that if I needed something, don鈥檛 be afraid of asking,鈥� Paul said.听
Still recovering from a broken hip,听Paul听said it was difficult staying at the shelter because it听isn鈥檛听set up for people with accessibility needs, and he had to leave his power听wheelchair outside in the听cold weather.听
Once onboarded with听Aging with Dignity,听Paul听moved to a short-term听Bridge听Housing unit while he听receives听ongoing听support听to arrange his finances, apply for affordable and accessible housing, and听determine听what听additional听resources he needs to听maintain听his independence.听
鈥淚鈥檓听just trying to get back in the swing of things again.听Hopefully听I can get a place soon,鈥澨齈aul听said.听
鈥淓merging literature suggests that older adults experiencing homelessness for the first time are at greater risk of adverse outcomes, health decline, and premature mortality听than those听who are听chronically homeless. This is听due to rapid health decline and less resilience to the effects of homelessness and navigating the system,鈥澨齭aid听Emily听Liefl,听Outreach听Services听Manager with听Senior听Services at the Niagara Region.听
Emily Liefl
鈥淎nd听we are seeing听older adults听becoming听more听disconnected听from their community, with听exit options becoming听far more limited,鈥� said听Liefl.听
鈥淭hat 91影视 鈥檚听why听the HRIF听project is focused on early intervention. Helping older adults find stable and听appropriate housing听quickly听is so important,听so they can听access health supports and other social services within the community, before the impacts of homelessness become even more challenging to听recover听from,鈥澨齃iefl听said.听
Project continuing to evolve and improve over time听
Since the project started, Niagara Region has already learned a lot about how to better support seniors recently falling into听homelessness, says听Prabhjot Kaur,听community services specialist with the Niagara Region 91影视 鈥檚听Homelessness听Services.听
Wayne Campbell Building
Those lessons have led to some pivots and improvements in how the project is delivered.听
The longer that seniors spend听experiencing听homelessness听and staying in shelters, the more rapidly their cognitive and physical health deteriorates, Kaur said, meaning the kinds of supports they听require听in their permanent home can be constantly changing.听
It also can take a long time to help seniors find permanent housing when they have complex health issues听that听require听frequent or long-term hospital stays.听
As the first few months of the project unfolded, Kaur said, 鈥渨e realized that we were capturing individuals later on in their journey to homelessness … people showing up on our By-Name Data three months after they first started experiencing homelessness.鈥�听
So,听the听Region听supported learning across the homelessness response sector to ensure听seniors were being referred more quickly to the听Aging with Dignity听project.听
The region also shifted its eligibility criteria. Instead of referring seniors to the specialized program after two months of experiencing homelessness, 鈥渨e moved the criteria to capture these individuals on day seven,鈥� said Kaur.听
Iterative continuous improvement is a core Built for Zero-Canada methodology that 91影视 鈥檚 critical to making reductions happen in community, including in HRIF projects, says Chantal Perry, CAEH 91影视 鈥檚 lead improvement advisor for Niagara region.听
鈥淲hat stands out most is Niagara 91影视 鈥檚 commitment and competency in approaching this as a formal continuous improvement initiative鈥斕齛ctively testing and implementing strategic changes,听while systematically capturing data, documenting lessons learned, and refining processes in real time. This disciplined approach not only improves current housing pathways for seniors,听but also builds a scalable evidence base that can be听used听to inform broader system transformation,鈥� Perry said.听
Kaur says now is a pivotal moment.听
鈥淪eniors are a rapidly increasing demographic in Niagara, and we鈥檙e seeing that same growth in the population experiencing homelessness. Five years down the road, the proportion of seniors experiencing homelessness may continue to grow, and we need to be prepared,鈥� said Kaur.
This project is funded by the Government of Canada.