Assisted Living in Alberta and Saskatchewan

Canadian provinces are each unique in whether or not seniors' facilities and communities are regulated or funded. Therefore it's important to do the research into what your options are, whether there are regulations in place set at the government level and who the seniors' advocates are in the province where you will need Assisted Living.

Designated Assisted Living Facilities in Alberta

Since April 2007, under the Provincial Government of Alberta department ASCS - Alberta Seniors and Community Support, Alberta has had legislation in place to protect seniors that live in supportive living facilities. The standards set by the ASCS apply to both private and public supportive living scenarios in Alberta; they have designated a Supportive Living Framework to define the types of homes that may be defined as a supportive living facility. Designated Assisted Living Facilities or DALs are under the protective umbrella of the ASCS. A Designated Assisted Living residence is one that has been accepted by the ASCS and the regional health authority okays residents on the basis of their health needs.

The Alberta Senior Citizen' Housing Association (ASCHA)

The ASCHA represents retirement communities in the province of Alberta and acts as an advocate for its members. The ASCHA represents more than 100 organizations operating more than 24,000 seniors housing units in Alberta. That translates to approximately 70% of the seniors housing sector. Members of the ASCHA include private not-for-profit, private for-profit, and public not-for-profit community operators. Stakeholders and corporate members are also vital to the ASCHA.

In the province of Saskatchewan, the Minister of Health advocates on behalf of seniors to ensure that issues of importance are heard at the Provincial Government level. As well as providing a voice in Cabinet the Minister of Health communicates with and takes advice from seniors' organizations in the province.

Provincial Advisory Committee of Older Persons

In June 2000 the Provincial Advisory Committee of Older Persons was established by the Saskatchewan Provincial Government to monitor public and private housing programs for seniors. Under the Personal Care Homes Act, privately owned homes may be licensed to provide the level of care similar to Assisted Living, where seniors may live at home, retaining their independence while requesting assistance in certain areas of their daily lives.

Finding Assisted Living in Saskatchewan

There are many providers of retirement communities in Saskatchewan whose philosophy is all about the excellent level of service they provide to their residents. In doing an Internet search for Assisted Living in Saskatchewan, pay special attention to the management company. Learn about the history of the company, their values and their mission statement. Make an appointment to visit the community that you may be considering and ask questions. Two examples of retirement community providers are Hawthorn Retirement Group in Regina and Riverside Terrace in Saskatoon. Both have Assisted Living as an option within their communities and both have established reputations.

Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism

There are influential groups and organizations in the province of Saskatchewan that strive to keep seniors up to date about programs and services and provide a voice for seniors. The Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism is one such influential organization. Established in 1990, they have been developing partnerships with groups throughout the province their goals being to act as on behalf of member organizations and create awareness of programs and services available to seniors. They are the umbrella organization for seniors' groups throughout the province and these groups collectively represent more than 100,000 Saskatchewan seniors. The SSM is recognized for their ongoing dedication to the betterment of their members.