David K. Bernhardt

David K. Bernhardt David K. Bernhardt

David Bernhardt, president of the Ottawa-Carleton Council on Aging, welcomes the widening options in seniors' housing. "We are pleased to see that, but as far as the increase in choice is concerned, it tends to be at the middle and upper-end of the economics spectrum.The choices are not there for all," says Mr. Bernhardt. Seniors on fixed incomes or without a single family home to sell can't afford many of the current options.However, the hope is that with increased attention on housing for the older generation, future developments will provide some lower-cost alternatives, he says. It is heartening, Mr. Bernhardt adds, to see that many projects now take an "age-in-place" approach to planning.This means that, if it becomes necessary, a seniors can have access to such services as nursing care and meal preparation while continuing to live in a private dwelling or moving within one facility or a group of buildings within the same project. "Their seems to be more awareness of the needs of seniors as all these various alternatives are being developed," he says.