Victoria seniors’ residence could close without $200K funding boost

A long-running Victoria seniors’ residence says it could be forced to close within the next year unless it can secure roughly $200,000 in additional funding and donations.

The Glenshiel Housing Society, located at 606 Douglas Street near Beacon Hill Park, currently provides housing for 64 seniors, many of whom live on limited incomes.

In an email, executive director Melanie MacLeod told Victoria Buzz the financial pressure facing the non-profit is immediate.

“We risk closing within a year if we cannot find an uplift in donations or funding at this time,” MacLeod said.

The organization is hoping to raise approximately $200,000 to get its accounts into good standing and help maintain operations.

Without additional support, MacLeod estimates The Glenshiel could continue operating for approximately eight months to one year.

The society has already reduced some services and laid off staff as it tries to control costs.

“We do not want to reduce the services to seniors any further, nor put staff out of a job,” MacLeod said.

The Glenshiel offers independent living for seniors and includes three meals a day, housekeeping, utilities, laundry facilities, basic telephone and Wi-Fi, activities and a staffed front desk 24 hours a day.

The model is designed to allow seniors to continue living independently while still having meals, support and a community around them.

But the cost of keeping that model running has increased.

The society says food, staffing, utilities, insurance, maintenance and supplies have all become more expensive while it has tried to keep housing affordable for its residents.

Raising rents significantly is not seen as an easy solution.

MacLeod said rents cannot be increased beyond provincial limits, and the society is also concerned that higher rents could price some of its lower-income residents out of their homes.

For resident Alix Athey, The Glenshiel has become much more than simply a place to live.

Athey has lived there for seven months and said the move came at a time when she was struggling to manage at home.

“Living with dementia, I was not managing well at home and the experience of living at The Glenshiel has given me a much-needed sense of security, fellowship, care and safety,” Athey said. 

“I feel I am a part of a community here.”

She said one of the things she values most is the camaraderie among residents.

“Everyone here understands what I am faced with,” she said. 

“There are no requirements for me to be anything other than who I am and where I am at. No judgement.”

The possibility of having to move again is particularly concerning for Athey.

“A move at this time in my life would be profoundly stressful and confusing,” she said.

Athey describes herself as a low-income senior and said finding another affordable home in Greater Victoria would be difficult.

She has also become familiar with the neighbourhood surrounding The Glenshiel, something that gives her additional independence.

“I know this neighbourhood, the setting is familiar and I can go for walks without getting lost,” Athey said. 

“If I had to relocate, my quality of life would be very limited.”

The Glenshiel Housing Society has operated the residence since 1997, although the building itself has been part of Victoria for more than a century.

MacLeod said one of the challenges facing the organization is its unusual funding arrangement.

According to MacLeod, the building is owned by the Royal BC Museum and The Glenshiel operates under an agreement involving the museum and BC Housing.

She said restrictions within that arrangement limit some of the funding the society is able to access.

BC Housing currently assists with emergency repairs and provides a monthly maintenance stipend, according to MacLeod.

She said the organization has also sought additional provincial housing support, but has struggled to find a funding program that fits The Glenshiel’s particular operating model.

The society is now turning to the community, businesses, foundations and governments for help.

For Athey, the importance of keeping the residence open is straightforward.

“Everyone’s home is important to them and this is our home,” she said. She also praised the people who work there.

“The staff are the heart and soul of this place,” Athey said. 

“I feel seen, heard and cared for.”

The Glenshiel is accepting donations through its website, with charitable tax receipts available through CanadaHelps.