Older adults in Canada face difficulty covering their expenses, even those with a good retirement pension. In the province of New Brunswick in eastern Canada, some seniors found no choice but to look for places in nursing homes, either because staying at home is too expensive or because it is almost impossible to find reasonably priced apartments.

But available spots in nursing homes are very limited.

"We now see homeless seniors in our municipalities. This is not just a problem in large areas or big cities. We see them here," said Marcel Larocque, president of the Francophone Seniors Association in New Brunswick, "We have no data, but these are things we talk about, hear about, and see."

"With the cost of living, medications, and transportation, many wonder what they will do," Larocque added.

Increasing demand for nursing home spots...

Social worker Roland Landry at the "Volunteer Center in the Acadian Peninsula" in New Brunswick notices an increasing desire among seniors to move early into nursing homes. "There is increased demand," Landry said.

Larocque pointed out that this housing crisis sometimes forces retirees to return to the labor market to cover their expenses.

"They do not do this by choice; it is not an option but a necessity," Larocque confirmed.

The need for a community project...

Larocque sees it as unacceptable that more and more seniors find themselves without a place to live, unable to eat enough to satisfy their hunger, and unable to obtain their medications properly.

The president of the Francophone Seniors Association in New Brunswick strives to implement assistance programs that allow seniors to stay in their homes as long as possible.

"We must make this a community project. We must look into this because it is extremely serious. People need security, and that security is found at home. I cannot believe we will watch the train pass by without doing anything. We must make it a community choice and invest where necessary," Larocque said.