What does the accommodation fee cover?
The monthly fee charged to residents covers the costs of living in a continuing care facility. This accommodation fee is considered equivalent to ‘room and board’ and is therefore invoiced to residents of care homes.
Resident payments for accommodation helps offset the care home's costs of providing:
A room to live in (rent)
Meals if included in the monthly fee
Utilities (power, water, heat)
Facility cleaning and maintenance
Property and carbon taxes
Facility insurance
Recreational and leisure programming
Accommodation fee research
CHAA operators recognize that accommodation fees can create significant hardships for low- and middle-income residents -- even after available government subsidies are factored in.
Our care homes are committed to welcome and care for those most in need. That's why we're leading the way in exploring how we can modernize accommodation fees in Alberta to ensure everyone has a place to call home -- while also ensuring care homes are able to offer a comfortable, clean, and modern living environment with the best possible live-enriching amenities.
Some factors we’re exploring in our fees research:
Food costs have risen dramatically over the past year and they’re a significant cost of operations. Yet passing along the increased cost to residents may create hardships. And skimping on a care home’s food quality/selection makes residents unhappy. What’s the right balance?
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a sharp rise in some cost areas, such as cleaning, insurance, and technology/equipment needs. How can these increases be recovered without passing along the burden to residents?
As facilities and residents increasingly expect private (not shared) rooms, how can fixed operating costs be spread over a reduced number of rooms and residents?
Given that a majority of not-for-profit care homes are aging (25+ years old), what is the best way to cover the cost of major repairs and refurbishment — particularly aspects that contribute to the quality of life, such as outdoor courtyards, music rooms and chapels?
How should accommodation subsidies be distributed among residents? Should all residents receive subsidies, or should higher-income residents be excluded? What is the impact on mid- to high-income residents?
Understanding these challenges will help CHAA, our operators, and the government work collaboratively toward solutions that are equitable, transparent and sustainable for all involved.
Related content
Learn more about the funding model in Alberta.
Legislation and regulations governing care homes
There are several sets of regulations that have governed the construction and operation of care homes in Alberta. Here’s a rundown.
Serving community catchment areas
CHAA operators are trialing new outreach and day programs that bring meals, recreation, check-ins, and social connections to residents in our surrounding communities. Here’s why we need to grow this concept.
What’s the difference between congregate living and continuing care?
What’s the difference between congregate living and continuing care?