The Retirement Home Regulatory Authority (RHRA) is working to help residents of Trillium Care Norwich find new accommodations after the retirement home announced it will close on Nov. 11. The home gave just over two weeks’ notice, which contravenes the Retirement Homes Act requiring a 120-day notice to residents.
“Our priority is the protection of the home’s 18 residents, and we continue to use all our regulatory powers to ensure their safety and well-being,” said Raymond Chan, a spokesman for the RHRA. The retirement home in Norwich, Ont., south of Woodstock, sent an email to clients on Oct. 25 stating it would close abruptly on Nov.
11 due to “an emergency lack of financial resources necessary to sustain daily operations.” The home’s manager, Davyd Yushkin, wrote that the decision “was not made lightly, and every effort was explored to prevent this outcome.
Family members are frustrated over the sudden closure and the scramble to find new homes for their loved ones.
Norwich home closure displaces residents
Miranda Guitard, whose husband’s grandmother moved to the home in May after being diagnosed with dementia, said there were red flags early on, including a sudden rent increase and missing paperwork.
Guitard urged families researching retirement homes to gather as much information as possible and learn about the RHRA. “Find out where you’re sending your family member,” she said. “It can end up not being a good experience, even if it looks wonderful on the surface.”
Ontario Provincial Police said there is an ongoing fraud investigation involving a retirement residence in Norwich.
In August, the OPP said “multiple victims” at a retirement home were alleged to have lost a total of over $50,000. The Trillium Care Norwich building was also listed for sale in April 2024 for $2 million, with assurances the tenant would sign a five-year lease, according to a Realtor listing. The property remains on the market.
Ontario’s minister for seniors and accessibility, Raymond Cho, said in a statement that his thoughts are with the residents affected by the sudden closure and that they “deserve to live with dignity and respect.”
