1. Lionsview Seniors Planning Society North Vancouver
May 16th, 2017

2. Legislative Mandate & Scope
Monitors the provision of seniors’ services
Analyzes systemic issues
Provides information and referral to seniors and their family members
Reports to Minister and to the public on issues affecting seniors, and provides recommendations to the Minister and other service providers
5 mandated areas
Health care
Housing
Income support
Personal Support
Transportation
Establish standardized measurements for key services to seniors
Provide better, more co-ordinated information for seniors and their families to navigate the network of services and supports
Achieve 100% awareness of all services and supports available to seniors in B.C.
Ensure the basic needs of seniors, with a particular emphasis on low-income seniors, are met
Ensure the system is hearing and respecting the wishes of seniors

3. Who are seniors and what do they want?
Easy question to ask, difficult to answer

4. Seniors not all the same
“Jane”
“Anne”

5. Seniors not all the same
“Jane”
“Anne”

6. Stereotypes of seniors

7. Some Common Perceptions of Seniors
Silver Tsunami
Overrunning emergency departments
All going to end up in nursing homes
All going to develop dementia
“The” problem dominating
health care system
Financially secure

8. B.C. Seniors - Reality
850,000 seniors in B.C. (18% of population), projected to grow to 24% by 2031
Indicators
Over 65
Over 85
Median income
$26,800
$24,600
Senior homeowners household income
24% (163,000) <$30,000
Senior renters household income
35% (60,000) <$20,000
% Living Independently
93%
74%
% Living in Residential Care 4%
15%
% that Use Publicly Subsidized Home Support
13%
Use of Emergency Department
22%
Average Life Expectancy
21.6
7.1
% Living in Urban Areas
65%
% of Seniors with Active Driver’s Licences
76%
34%
% that Live Alone
26%
46%
% that are Employed
26% (65-69)
7% (70+)
% that Volunteer
40% (65-74) avg. 235 hrs per year
31% (75+) avg. 198 hrs per year
% of Seniors Living Without a Diagnosis of Dementia
94%
80%
% Living Independently – 2016 Monitoring Report
% Living in Residential Care – Monitoring Report
% of seniors that live alone – 2016 monitoring report
% of seniors using publicly subsidized home support. Katherine’s data for monitoring report
% of Seniors with Active Driver’s Licences – BCIT numbers using population of seniors in 2014 – 34% of seniors over 85 have drivers licences
% that Volunteer - – Giving, Volunteering and Participating survey
Emergency Department Use - CIHI
% the are Employed –BC - Table – Labour Force Survey Estimates by sex and detailed age group
% without a diagnosis of dementia –Monitoring report

9. BC Seniors – Living Longer
BC Life expectancy - 83 years
Canada – 82.2
U.S – 79.3
Sweden – 81.7
U.K. – 81.2

10. What We’ve Heard
Seniors concerned they may not be able to live where they want
Fixed and diminishing incomes
Poor transportation alternatives
Inconsistent home care services
Reduced access to residential care beds
Caregiver burnout
Devaluation of seniors by an ageist society
Seniors lack respect to make decisions
Fragmented care system overall

11. Targeted Issues To Date - Housing
Access to affordable housing for low income seniors
Rents ↑34% since 2005/ rent subsidy ↑ by only 9%
Subsidized Housing – long wait lists, more units needed particularly in rural/remote areas
Use of Property tax deferment ↑
Home owners need new mechanisms to leverage home equity for housing costs

12. Targeted Issues to Date - Caregivers
97% of home support clients have an unpaid caregiver
29% of caregivers are in distress, one of the highest rates in Canada
Rate of distress increases to 38% for those caring for the more complex
Access to respite services such as home support; ADP and respite beds limited to <15%, home support used by <50% in previous week

13. Targeted Issues to Date – Residential Care
Care staffing
91% of facilities not meeting provincial guidelines
$500 m announcement will ensure standardized benchmark, means 3
million more care hours per year
Drug use
26% taking antipsychotics without a diagnosis, dropping, but still one of highest rates in Canada
48% taking antidepressants while only 24% have diagnosis of depression
Resident to resident aggression
Adequacy of some policies such as 1x weekly bath

14. Targeted Issues To Date – Home Support
Availability of adequate levels of home support
60% of clients receive one hour or less per day
Increase in clients, but decrease in hours per client
Variation between health authorities
Not enough flexibility
20% say too many regular workers & 28% say too many substitute workers
System too rigid in what it delivers
Clients want ability to choose service required
Cost a barrier for some seniors

15. Targeted Issues To Date – Transportation
OSA HandyDART survey of 7,500 HandyDART users
91% satisfied with service, when they receive it, yet nearly 1/3 say it does not, or only moderately meets, transportation needs
wait times and length of ride times an issue – only 46% always picked up within 30-minute window
cost an issue for some seniors – 53% of users have income of less than $20,000
Encouraging municipalities to ensure senior pedestrians are safe – decreased speed limits, road/intersection design/visibility
Full systemic review of transportation issues underway

16. Key OSA Resources Monitoring Report
BC Residential Care Facilities Quick Facts Directory
OSA website –
Information and referral line –
Council of Advisors
Systemic Reviews

17. Contact www.seniorsadvocatebc.ca Toll-free: 1-877-952-3181
In Victoria:
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm
Translation services available in more than 180 languages.
facebook.com/SeniorsAdvocateBC
@SrsAdvocateBC