Presentation to Elders Take Action January 16 2017 Co-Leads: Betty Tate and Trish Sanvido

Who Are We?

CV Network of ARNBC local network of practicing, student and retired nurses Past Initiatives Advocated for CVRD Homelessness Supports Regional Service Advocated for national Housing Strategy and new Federal Provincial Health Accord Current Initiative advocating for health care that better meets the needs of seniors in the CV Liz: This is the basics of my story for being involved. I’ll speak more to it in my story.

Seniors Health Why we care Research Advocacy Workshop betty

Research Highlights 12% of older adults have adequate health literacy skills to support them making basic health related decisions. Number of people in CV over 75 is expected to increase 96% by 2036   25% of seniors over age 65 live alone Of the 120 funded acute care beds at St. Joseph’s Hospital, in 2014 14% were being used for seniors who were awaiting placement. This number rose to a new high of 41% in one four week period in 2015 Lorraine

Research Highlights In 2015 there was an average of 32 people every day at St. Joseph’s Hospital awaiting a more appropriate placement In 2015 the average wait was 49-53 days to placement and is increasing in 2016 In July 2016 32 clients living in the community were awaiting residential care placement. The average wait for a residential care bed was 117 days   CV has a lower number of complex care, temporary, and assisted living beds than Greater Victoria and Campbell River

Concerns Inconsistencies in care for seniors across Canada and the lack of a coordinated National Strategy for Seniors Care Today’s seniors are living longer and have unique, complicated health care needs that are not being adequately met Many health issues seniors experience are as a result of social determinants of health and are not necessarily well addressed by our current medical model of health care Current seniors care delivery models are fragmented and need to change to integrated multidisciplinary health care teams caring for seniors in primary care settings   Trish

Concerns Fragmentation makes navigation and access to services very challenging Lack of home and community support available to support older adults to stay at home with chronic, acute and palliative needs Lack of long term care beds when seniors are no longer able to manage at home. Inappropriate placement results in a senior’s faster health decline and higher health care costs Overburdened informal caregivers causing stress and declining health for families Trish

What is Health Accord? Agreement between federal government and provinces and territories for funding transfers and national health care standards Critical opportunity to reform health services and address gaps in care, including seniors care Trish

History Last Health Accord was for the period 2004- 2014 Instead of re-negotiating agreement Federal Government agreed to continue increasing funding by 6% until 2016/2017 after which funding increases will be tied to economic growth (average of GDP over 3 years) with a minimum of 3% Funding cut of $36 billion over the 10 year funding agreement. No conditions attached - potential for reform lost

History In 2015, the new federal government made it a priority to renegotiate a new accord Negotiations began in 2016. In Dec 2016, the federal government and the provinces failed to re-negotiate the Health Accord The federal government took the additional funding for Home care and Mental off the table and is now saying the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) will revert back to 3% in April 2017 New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador all signed individual bilateral agreements with the federal government and will receive additional funding for mental health and home care services. British Columbia has not made a bilateral agreement Liz and Lorraine

What Next? A National Health Care Strategy for Seniors We hope discussions will continue and a resolution will be found. We continue to advocate for: A National Health Care Strategy for Seniors Targeted funding for seniors and in particular frail seniors A robust accountability framework attached to funding in the accord that encourages innovation and system change and reports on health and social outcomes Increased funding for home and community care and long term care beds to free up acute care costs Innovation to increase health literacy skills Increased supports for informal caregivers to reduce stress   Trish and Betty

WHAT ARE COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORKS AND DOES THE COMOX VALLEY WANT ONE? Join US! WHAT ARE COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORKS AND DOES THE COMOX VALLEY WANT ONE?   Cindy Lise, Our Cowichan Communities Health Network Victoria Smith, Strathcona Community Health Network Date: January 19, 2017 Time: 5:00 - 7:00 pm Place: North Island College, Comox Valley Campus Puntledge Building Room P121 Community health networks bring together people from wide-ranging backgrounds, roles and perspectives to take action on issues that impact health and well-being in their communities.  There are 6 of them in various communities on Vancouver Island. Cindy and Victoria are associated with two of them that have developed differently in response to their community’s health needs and social determinants of health. Come learn and ask questions and explore with us the potential for a Community Health Network in the Comox Valley. Everyone is welcome! Bring a friend!

Questions? For More information: ARNBC: http://www.arnbc.ca   Like us on FB: https://www.facebook.com/Comox-Valley-Network-of-ARNBC- 1666974673559844/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel Contact Us: comoxvalleyarnbcnetork@gmail.com