Seniors' Week in British Columbia - June 5-11

From the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health (Seniors') MLA Dr. Margaret McDiarmid (Vancouver-Fairview)

B.C. seniors built our province and provided our families the many great opportunities and stability that we enjoy today. June 5-11 is BC Seniors Week and it’s a chance for us to look back on the many contributions our parents and grandparents have made, to say thank you and to highlight what the provincial government has done to meet seniors’ needs.

Premier Christy Clark chose to have a Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors to the Minister of Health to emphasize that seniors are a part of the families-first agenda. Families are not exclusively young parents with children – they include seniors as grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles.

I am truly honoured to have accepted this responsibility and I take the role seriously. As a family doctor, one of the first things I learned from my older patients was that they wanted independence. They also wanted to live their lives in the home of their choice. As Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors, I’ve had many conversations with older people and what I’ve taken away reinforces the knowledge that seniors want to remain independent and active as they age.

Over the next 20 years, the number of British Columbians over age 65 will almost double. That means almost one-in-four of us, or around 1.3 million people, will be over 65. Preparing for this demographic shift requires the involvement of government at all levels, as well as agencies, community organizations, the business sector and individuals. Working together with seniors will help provide the framework for action to support older citizens over the coming years.

The Province has taken numerous steps to help our seniors. This includes building 6,327 net new beds and replacing 7,453 residential care beds, assisted living and supportive housing units in communities across B.C. – that is 13,780 new beds in total since 2001.

We expect health authorities to spend over $2.5 billion on home and community care this year for seniors, up $940 million from 2001, an increase of 60 per cent. This includes:

· Increased spending on residential care and assisted living by more than 50 per cent since 2001, from just over $1.1 billion to almost $1.7 billion this year.

· Increased spending on home care and home support by almost 86 per cent since 2001, from $404 million to more than $753 million this year.

There are 23 per cent more clients receiving home care professional services (nursing and community rehabilitation) than in 2001. As well, between 2001 and 2009, the average number of care hours per home support client increased by 17 per cent, from 212 hours to 249 hours. Approximately 71 per cent of all home support recipients pay absolutely nothing at all. These changes have reduced wait times to access residential care from up to one year in 2001. Today, the median wait time is less than 90 days.

Seniors also have a role to play in the Healthy Families BC initiative. This $68.7-million strategy will help British Columbians make healthy choices and introduce innovative approaches to challenges facing the health care system. Healthy Families BC will support British Columbians, including seniors, in managing their own health and reducing chronic disease.

The Province is committed to the Seniors’ Healthy Living Framework, which supports older people to live healthy, active and independent lives. This will reduce the risk of diseases and chronic conditions, and help maintain health, which allows people to stay in their own homes as long as possible. Whether it’s going out for a walk, or joining an exercise class, staying active is an integral part of staying fit and being independent.

There are numerous events at the ActNow BC Seniors Community Parks around B.C. to promote physical activity and help seniors stay active. Trainers will be on hand at the parks during BC Seniors Week to help show older people how to properly use the specialized equipment. You can find one of these parks around B.C., in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey, Abbotsford, Cranbrook, Nelson, Kelowna, Kamloops, Terrace, Prince George, Dawson Creek, Victoria, Sidney, Nanaimo, Courtenay and North Cowichan. Please visit the following link for park addresses: www.actnowbc.ca/seniors/actnow_bc__seniors_community_parks?tpid=309&.

Throughout British Columbia, seniors are a valuable resource, sharing their skills, knowledge and life experience, and enriching our communities with their energy and commitment. On behalf of Premier Christy Clark and all British Columbians, I want to thank B.C. seniors, and I encourage everyone to participate in a seniors’ week activity in your community.