B6
n RETIREMENT LIVING
n THE BRANDON SUN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2026
» Retirement homes provide seniors with security, socialization “Then we also have people that, you know, move into the community because they’ve had something hap- pen and they are no longer capable and able to be on their own.” and 140 residents. The price to rent a studio or one- or two-bedroom suite ranges from $3,195 to $6,445, the building’s website says. The CEO of a national seniors’ ad- vocacy group said retirement homes were initially designed for a “young, mobile, mentally capable, active population,” typically in their 70s with needs around social, house- a “distant dream” for many older Ca- nadians, according to the report. Continued from Page B4 Pat and Betty Golding in their home at Victoria Landing Retirement Residence in Brandon on Wednesday. They were drawn to Victoria Landing for many reasons, including the friendliness of the staff and residents, the accessibility of their bathroom ensuite and the variety of weekly activities, Pat said. (Photos by Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
Most seniors choose to move into a retirement home because they want to feel safe and can socialize with others, said Riverheights Ter- race general manager Darla Helena. The average age of people living at the retirement home used to be in the 80s, but it has gone down to 78 because more people are wanting to enjoy the amenities earlier, she said. Helena said she has seen an in- crease in the number of seniors in- terested in moving into Riverheights Terrace since the COVID-19 pan- demic because a big part of their overall health revolves around so- cialization. “Rather than living alone in your home, people are able to come here (and) be comfortable in their own apartment,” she said. “We do everything we can to make sure that the people are very happy when they live here.” Riverheights Terrace has 119 suites
From 2022 to 2025, those surveyed who said they can’t afford to retire at their desired time rose from 37 per cent to 43 per cent, the report said. As the cost of living increases, se- niors are tightening their budget, Tamblyn Watts said. “The pinch is extra problematic, particularly at a time where they are living often on a fixed income and so their chances of being able to go get more money is extremely limited,” she said. The average monthly cost of se- nior housing in Manitoba — where a resident doesn’t require 1.5 hours or more of care per day — was more than $2,800 in 2021, according to a survey by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Tamblyn Watts said the cost of a retirement home in the province is roughly between $3,000 and $7,500 per month depending on the num- ber of bedrooms. Even if seniors choose to age in their homes, they may still need to pay for home-care services and ren- ovations to make their home more accessible, she said. The increased cost of living has created a need for more seniors to access food banks across Canada and a “skyrocketing” number of se- niors experiencing homelessness, Tamblyn Watts said. She expects to see other trends in retirement living expand in the fu- ture, such as the establishment of small retirement homes nestled in residential areas that have a strong community-based focus. Another trend is a co-housing ar- rangement that replicate the “Gold- en Girls” model, where people are sharing a big house and splitting the expenses. Canada is also seeing a rise in mul- tigenerational living, where families that didn’t traditionally live together are now doing so to cut costs. Tamblyn Watts also expects to see the creation of more naturally oc- curring retirement communities — identified areas where seniors natu- rally congregate that have supports brought in to concentrate services. » tdamski@brandonsun.com
Some studio suites are move-in ready, but residents wanting a spe- cific unit may face a six- to 12-month wait, Helena said. The monthly cost includes three daily meals, housekeeping, trans- portation, access to a salon and barbershop, parking, entertainment and activities. Helena said residents enjoy hav- ing an afternoon tea, doing arts and crafts, playing card and board games, reading in the library and using the fitness and exercise equipment. Prairie Mountain Health and a few private agency health-care staff are on-site to provide home-care ser- vices or residents can be approved for extra supports through a govern- ment-funded family managed care program.
keeping and meal supports. But now things have shifted. “Now what we’re seeing is that retirement homes, in many cases, have an older population than long- term care homes and a similar level of acuity for what long-term care homes were designed for,” said Lau- ra Tamblyn Watts, CEO of CanAge. She said many retirement homes across the country are seeing more residents with complex needs in terms of cognitive impairment, de- mentia and other health issues. The average age of retirement home entrants across Canada is between 82 and 86, Tamblyn Watts said. She said it’s rare that people pro- actively move into a retirement or personal care home. “It’s always after the needs are higher than people can manage,” she said. “People do want to stay in their own homes, and if they need help and support, they want to bring it in.” The National Institute on Ageing annual report released last month said most older adults in Canada want to age in their own home, but affordability, health and the suitabil- ity of their home determine whether they can. The results of the institute’s online survey of more than 6,000 Canadian adults 50 years and older showed that 81 per cent want to remain in their home for as long as possible. Tamblyn Watts said some people choose to age in their original resi- dence because they like the familiar- ity and have close connections with- in their residential community. “If they have, say, failing eyesight, they can usually have a high de- gree of familiarity with making their way around their own kitchen that they’ve lived in for 50 years, as op- posed to trying to figure out a new physical, built environment,” she said. However, retirement is becoming
Residents pay month to month at Victoria Landing. Their rent in- cludes three daily meals, snacks, light housekeeping, transportation, cable, building maintenance and access to an on-site nurse or health- care aide. Information on the monthly rent is not made public on Victoria Land- ing’s website and Nohr declined to disclose the cost. Residents can also enjoy ameni- ties like the game and crafts room, library, movie theatre and spa. Extra home-care services such as walk-as- sist, hourly check-ins, laundry or Blossom — a memory care program — are an additional cost, Nohr said.
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Pat and Betty Golding have lived at Victoria Landing since June 2025.
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