Howe Sound Rehabilitation Services Society

Howe Sound's Supported Housing Program is located at 33rd and Heather in Vancouver at Honoria Conway Assisted Living .The program operates 8 Supported Housing apartment units for young adults with physical disabilities.

Honoria Conway is a 4 storey, 68 unit apartment building. On the main floor are eight (8) supportive housing apartments and the three upper floors feature 60 one-bedroom assisted living (AL) apartments for seniors, with 20 units on each floor. There are separate entrances for the supported housing and assisted living populations.

The Honoria Conway building is owned by Providence Health Care (PHC) who is also the service provider to the assisted living portion of the building. The supported housing units is operated by Howe Sound Rehabilitation Services Society (HSRSS).

The supported housing apartments are approximately 613 square feet in area, with each having a unique floor plan, and are suitable for either single tenants or couples. Each unit is fully accessible with automated front door openers and private patios.

The eight (8) tenants in supported housing will participate in the shared care model of support. Every tenant shall have individually scheduled service as well as around the clock access to a fixed number of staff. Tenants must be capable of calling for and directing their own care. Most importantly, each tenant must maintain a level of flexibility, patience, and understanding that the time and services of staff are shared amongst the eight (8) tenants.

Howe Sound’s Philosophy of Shared Care

Howe Sound’s Shared Care philosophy is characterized by the collaboration of tenants’ care needs to form a model of 24 hour support which can be utilized more efficiently than if tenants were to receive support services independently. The shared care model is based on tenants working together, sharing the time and services of a team of personnel, with a willingness to be flexible to help ensure quality support for all tenants involved.

This philosophy empowers tenants to take charge of their own schedule and work as a team and with the service provider to ensure everyone’s needs are met. It requires flexibility and an understanding that the benefits derived from access to 24 hour support outweigh the restrictions of receiving fixed care hours separately. Instead of thinking of care provision allocated as a certain amount of hours per person per day, every tenant’s needs will differ with some requiring less support and others needing more support, with fluctuations from day to day.

As much as possible, schedules will be developed to accommodate tenant’s preferences with commitments such as work, school and appointments taking priority. However, even within a schedule, things may not always happen as planned and unforeseen events can cause interferences and delays. Also, individual’s spontaneous needs may arise at any time and derail the schedule. Compromise is a cornerstone of the shared care principle as we are all affected by events beyond our control. Because unanticipated incidents occur, individual’s needs vary, and tenancy changes over time, all tenants in the collective will be affected. Services and schedules may also need to be renegotiated when tenants transition in and out of the building.

This living arrangement is most suitable for individuals who wish to live independently in the community and for the most part, can remain safe in their own apartment. Individuals who have a desire to live on their own but still require some assistance will be afforded the ability to exercise as much self-determination as they possibly can within a secure environment. Shared care is particularly appropriate for those who require intermittent, unscheduled and unpredictable care throughout the day and night. The convenience of having personnel available 24/7 enables tenants to live comfortably on their own terms with the security of knowing that help is always available.

Shared care succeeds when all parties are organized and have an understanding that they are not the sole recipients of service. Personnel may not always respond to calls for assistance in the order of which they are received. Instead, scheduled care may take priority over unscheduled calls for assistance. Tenants who need only brief assistance will be given priority over tasks which take longer. Urgent needs will be tended to over less urgent matters. And as always, emergencies will take precedence over all other calls. Tenants should summon assistance when they are ready to receive it, and have materials/equipment prepared in advance as much as possible so as not to unnecessarily use up their attendant’s time. To the greatest extent possible, staffing plans will be coordinated to best match the schedules of the tenants. Once a schedule has been developed, adhering to it can reduce inefficient use of personnel time. Again, schedules can change when unexpected events occur, individual’s needs change, or tenancy changes.

The shared care model relies on the tenants to direct their own care and have the ability to call for assistance. Tenants must be able to instruct their attendant on how they wish to receive care, housekeeping, and meal service. Tenants are not to assume that personnel have intimate knowledge of how they prefer to have their apartment cleaned or meals cooked, etc. Thus, it is expected that tenants have all the necessary supplies, medication, personal effects, ingredients, recipes, etc. that are needed for personnel to carry out their duties.

Although tenants receive assistance with meal preparation and cooking, they are expected to independently arrange for the purchase and acquisition of groceries and personal effects. Tenants are encouraged to plan their meals in advance so as to ensure the right ingredients for their meals can be prepared and cooked at the right time. This avoids disappointment and maximizes efficient use of personnel time. Whenever possible, each tenant is encouraged to purchase groceries in bulk so that personnel might prepare more than one portion and/or meal at a time. Cooking extra ingredients from a current meal to be used as in a future meal is also a time saver.

As with any shared care arrangement, tenants are asked to be polite and courteous towards all neighbours and expect the same in return. Guests are always welcome and encouraged. However, tenants must keep in mind that personnel are to assist the tenant only and their services should not be taken advantage of. The presence of guests should not interfere with nor add to the existing workload of personnel. For more information, a Tenant Handbook has been developed and distributed as a resource for all tenants to refer to.

The same courtesy and respect should be extended to and expected from the team of personnel who are providing care and support. Although this is a work-site for staff, this is ultimately a home where tenants can be warm and welcoming to all visitors, including staff. By making the environment a pleasant place to work, staff are more likely to stay long-term, provide optimal service, and return the same courtesy and respect. Alternatively, creating a hostile working environment could result in unhappy staff with higher staff turnover which may not bode well with fellow tenants. However, we are all human and every tenant has a right to an opinion, and not everyone will have a good rapport with every personnel member. If needed, the Tenant Handbook describes a step by step process for conflict resolution.

Finally, simply because the personnel are shared between tenants does not mean that information is shared about tenants. All personnel are obligated to adhere to a confidentiality policy which prohibits the discussion of other tenants and personnel members. A similar confidentiality policy is enforced for tenants (please refer to the Tenant Handbook).

Howe Sound Rehabilitation Services Society welcomes you to shared care living and hopes this accommodation arrangement proves successful for you. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the shared care model, please contact the Supported Housing Residence Administrator.

Programs/Services » Supported Housing

Supported Housing at Honoria Conway

Howe Sound’s Philosophy of Shared Care

Eligibility Criteria