Regina care home's abrupt closure leaves residents scrambling to find a new place to live

Residents of Precious Memories Villa in Regina were given a month’s notice that the home would be closing and they’d have to find a new place to live – with some family members saying they only found out three days in advance.

Kevin Hein, a family member of one resident said despite only being given 72 hours' notice, he was able to find a new place for his father to live.

“’Your father needs to be moved out by Monday.’ That was my notice and care homes are kind of difficult to find right now. I did manage to find a place for him,” Hein said.

Hein said he was alerted of the closure via text message.

For at least one of the nine residents forced to move out, the sudden closure meant moving out of Regina altogether.

Ron Beckmann has lived in the Queen City since 1957, but is now on his way to Aspen Bluffs Villa in Yorkton.

• Download the CTV News app to get Regina related top stories and breaking news on your device

“I kind of don’t know where the people are going to go,” he said. “Everything is full around here. They’re shutting the home and we have to leave by noon today [Monday]. It’s awful.”

Devin Seghers, another family member, said they received mixed messages about the status of the home.

Being told it was closing, then staying open.

“We got one call Friday and then another call Saturday and then last night [Sunday] so we thought well we’re tired of this, first we were told that it’s staying open, then we were told it’s closing and we felt like we were in a ping pong tournament so we thought it’s safer for him to get him out,” Seghers said.

The care home’s operator could not be reached for comment in regard to the closure.

Some families contemplated refusing to leave on short notice but say they didn’t want to run the risk of loved ones being evicted.

They said better protections are needed for the elderly who are facing these types of situations.