Tenancy management in assisted living settings in Vancouver Island Health Authority
Date
2012-08-28
Authors
Silvester, Alexandra
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Abstract
Assisted living (AL) is a complex housing program for seniors and other eligible
clients that incorporates the notion of choice, autonomy and independence in its service
delivery. The AL industry involves a variety of stakeholders from different agencies and
organizations; AL is regulated under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act.
While popular and appealing to the public, AL suffers from the lack of
standardization in its operational and managerial processes. Clients may be vulnerable
because of an absence of a dispute resolution mechanism or a support system for AL
stakeholders, particularly once evictions arise. Since the cost, time, and effort required to
re-house clients when they lose housing is far greater than measures geared towards
assisting them in maintaining housing (Shern, et al., 1997), the need for developing the
process to ensure eviction prevention in AL laid the grounds for this document.
In the context of research, work-related experience and published literature on
AL, I have (a) developed a process for tenancy management, (b) articulated the roles of
AL stakeholders in the process of tenancy management and (c) proposed suggestions to
improve practice and operations in the AL environment.
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Keywords
assisted living, subsidized housing, evictions, Vancouver Island Health Authority, senior mental health policy lens