Residence for seniors experiencing homelessness | “Life does not warn”

With his ironed shirt, sitting in his tidy room, Jacques Roy does not let anyone guess that he was living in his car two years ago. And he would perhaps still be on the street, if a place had not become available in the only residence for homeless seniors in the province.

“I would never have planned this, but life does not warn,” says Jacques Roy, his hands clasped, resting on his thighs. Five years ago, the 72-year-old man earned his living cleaning private homes in Lachine, where he rented an apartment with his partner Diane.

But a series of tragedies struck the eldest: first, the death of his partner, then, the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented him from practicing his profession. Jacques Roy lost his income, and eventually his apartment. He ended up sleeping in his car, which he later had stolen. “I was completely disoriented, without Diane next to me,” he remembers, reaching out for a photo of his late partner.

But this chapter of Jacques Roy’s life is behind him. Today, the eldest has his own room in the JA De Sève residence at La Maison du Père, a seniors’ residence (RPA) which has exclusively welcomed homeless men since 1988.

“The luxury we have in our resource is that we have time,” underlines Samuel Drolet-Bégin, psychosocial worker. New residents, some of whom have spent decades experiencing homelessness, often arrive with serious mental and physical health issues, as well as low self-esteem. Nearly half of residents have consumption issues, according to the speaker.

A unique model

The JA De Sève residence welcomes men aged 55 and over, who are considered seniors due to early aging caused by precariousness. Malnutrition, drug use, exposure to the cold and stress are all factors that weaken the health of people experiencing homelessness, explains Samuel Drolet-Bégin.

But not all RPA residents have experienced the street. “We have many people who have had accomplished lives, but a romantic breakup or the death of a loved one has led to losing their housing,” underlines the speaker.

According to the count carried out by the Ministry of Health and Social Services in 2022, no less than 44% of the homeless population in Montreal is aged 50 and over, a proportion which has increased by 33% in four years.

However, the JA De Sève residence is the only RPA in the province that exclusively welcomes the homeless population, an “aberrant” fact in the eyes of Julie Denis, director of the continuum of clinical services at La Maison du Père.

With its 87 rooms, the residence cannot meet demand.

Julie Denis would particularly like to see the opening of an RPA that would welcome homeless women. “But as always, it’s a question of financing,” she emphasizes.

Escape from poverty

The curtains are closed in Luca Didodo’s room when Julie Denis knocks on his door. The former truck driver lived his entire life with a roof over his head, but his gambling addiction led him to the streets.

At age 70, he found himself sleeping in the emergency department dormitories of La Maison du Père for a year, before being admitted to the JA De Sève residence.

Arriving seven months ago, Luca Didodo is relieved to have a room of his own, but he still struggles to integrate into the residence. “I have a hard time accepting that I have reached this point,” he says, sitting in his rocking chair.

“It will come, you will adapt,” replies Julie Denis. Try to come to activities more often! »

Barbecues, card games, gardening, bingo: the recreation specialists at La Maison du Père plan each month a calendar of activities to break the isolation of residents. Gaining the trust of newcomers doesn’t happen overnight, concedes Julie Denis, walking down a corridor. “But seeing residents evolve, that’s our pay,” she adds.