Seniors advocates say British Columbia's seniors feel “ignored and forgotten” because they are not being helped by existing provincial support systems.
In his first report as B.C.’s seniors advocate, Dan Levitt said affordability was the top concern when interviewing hundreds of seniors Elderly Activities have been carried out in more than 20 communities in April.
Levitt said at a news conference Wednesday that one in four seniors in British Columbia earns less than $23,000 a year, a figure below the poverty line.
The report, which summarizes what Levitt heard during his tour, confirms that British Columbia’s seniors on fixed incomes are disproportionately affected by the high cost of living.
The survey found that many seniors cannot afford the increased costs of housing, food, medical equipment, mobility aids and other necessities for healthy aging.
Levitt said a growing number of low-income seniors are at risk of homelessness, with many turning to food banks for help as they struggle to make ends meet.
The report makes several recommendations to the British Columbia government, starting with a redesign of the housing assistance program for older renters.
Levitt said the program fails to ensure low-income seniors spend no more than 30% of their income on housing, adding that the benefit is not tied to inflation or rent increases.
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The report also calls on the province to increase the seniors benefit, which currently tops out at $99.30 a month for single seniors, and index it to inflation.
Levitt said seniors also tell him they don't have enough money to stay in their homes as long as they should. He called on British Columbia to eliminate its home support day fee, noting that neither Alberta nor Ontario have such a fee.
Levitt further expressed concern about a shortage of long-term care and assisted living beds, saying people are spending thousands of dollars and traveling long distances to visit loved ones who have moved away for care.
He said those challenges will persist as British Columbia's population ages.
Seniors are the fastest growing age group in the province and will make up 25 per cent of the population by 2036, he said.
“We are generally healthier and living longer. In the next decade, there will be more people over 65 than at any time in history.
“That’s good news, but the question is, are we ready?”
Levitt's answer was “no”.
He said demand for long-term care and other services for seniors would grow “exponentially” over the next decade.
His office will conduct a “systematic review” of waiting lists at long-term care and assisted living facilities.
“We would like to see more infrastructure built where seniors live,” he said.
The report released Wednesday further recommends that B.C. provide free $300 shingles vaccines to seniors, while developing a cross-departmental strategy to support seniors with key goals and performance measures.
Levitt said funding for vaccines and eliminating home care fees are immediate steps the province can take while it starts working on longer-term recommendations.
— By Brenna Owen, Vancouver
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 5, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
