'Keep everything quiet': Bridgewater resident speaks out against new assisted-living suite owners

In three weeks, 90-year-old David Bryant will have to leave the place he calls home. He will be selling a few of his belongings before he moves into a motel. For the last two years, he’s been living in an assisted-living suite at Drumlin Hills.

Four months ago, he, along with other residents, received a notice from the new owners, Rosedale Investments Ltd., that daily meals, housekeeping and 24/7 onsite staff will no longer be available as of Dec. 1st. Since then, Bryant has been writing letters to the Town of Bridgewater and the Province of Nova Scotia to voice his concerns with the changes of the new owners.

“I dislike what they’ve done,” Bryant tells CTV Atlantic. “They gave orders to their employees that came in and took over the building, saying ‘keep everything quiet.’”

With many of the units not including kitchens, residents say they rely on the three meals served at the dining hall.

“I came here because I couldn’t look after myself. I couldn’t do my own meals or my own cleaning. Now that is being wiped our from right underneath my feet,” said Pauline Rowder, a resident that lived in the enhanced living unit.

Community members have been advocating for these seniors. They say, along with the changes to services and amenities, the cost of a few units will increase. This includes the units for enhanced living.

“Rent at the end of November after the service ends will have to go higher,” said Aaron Kenny, lead pastor at Bridgewater Baptist Church. “That’s a 40 per cent increase from what they were paying before. So when you remove those services, the rent [the owner] is asking goes way beyond the two per cent rent cap that the province has.”

While some residents say they will continue to live here, others will have to look elsewhere for support.

“I’ve looked into Lunenburg County Home Care. They can come in [to help]. You have to put your name on the list and hope they can come in when needed but they can only come in for two days in the week,” said Rowder.

CTV News spoke to a representative from the town and while the maximum units allowed for this property is 96, the town says there aren’t any rules in place preventing it from providing permits for the additional units that owner will be including. They said this is because there are no clear definitions or guidelines in place for assisted living.

In a statement, the Department of Seniors and Long-term Care said it’s aware of the situation in Drumlin Hill and encouraged residents and their families who need support and services to contact Nova Scotia Health Authority’s Continuing Care.

CTV News also reached out to the owner of the assisted living suite at Drumlin Hills but they did not get back to us.