The people living at Nigel House are grateful to have the support they need to live their lives to the fullest and rarely complain. The staff is incredible and become like family. However, there are challenges. Nigel House was built decades ago and doesn’t work well for those with physical, developmental and behavioural challenges.
“Sharing a room was the toughest thing I’ve pretty much had to do. I’ve never done anything like that before – sharing a room and a bathroom. It was tough. My roommate was a good guy and we had some fun. But, you know, we’re adults. That’s something you do in college.”
Rick, Nigel House resident
The challenges for people living at Nigel House are very real, and include:
- Hallways, doorways, elevators, and common areas are too narrow for power wheelchairs
- Shared accommodation for some residents means a lack of privacy, dignity, and comfort
- People don’t have closets for storing clothing and personal items
- Space for social gatherings is limited
- A lack of common areas for programs and services for people
- Some outdoor amenity areas are in poor condition and are inaccessible to residents
- Poor access to and from crosswalks and sidewalks, making it even more difficulty to enjoy getting out and about
Simply put, Nigel House is beyond its useful life.
It was built in the 1970s for a different purpose – it is not designed for the service it now provides. The updates made in the 1990s are now out of date, and further costly repairs are urgently needed: for example, the roof will need replacing in just three years.
A thorough review has confirmed that spending millions of dollars renovating the current building is no longer viable. Nigel House residents deserve a proper home that helps them to live their lives in a safe, high quality and supportive living environment.
If you or a loved one found yourself living at Nigel House, how would you want to live your life?
