As October 1 was designated as National Seniors Day, and the Cranberry Seniors Centre was staging an event to celebrate the occasion, my partner and I, both seniors, dropped in.
The event was very enjoyable. We entered a few draws, chatted with other seniors and developed an interest in carpet bowling.
After the event, I was reflecting on the report released last month by Isobel Mackenzie, the seniors advocate for the Province of BC. The Office of Seniors Advocate (OSA) report entitled BC Seniors: Falling Further Behind paints a grim picture of how many seniors in BC are living.
OSA researchers found that 45 per cent of BC seniors have an income under the provincial minimum wage. From 2015 to 2020, the minimum wage increased by 40 per cent while seniors’ pension incomes rose only 14 per cent. As of 2019, 25 per cent of our seniors have an annual income of under $20,000.
In the housing rental market, seniors are particularly vulnerable as rents have increased 50 per cent in the last 10 years while pension incomes have risen only 25 per cent. There is a modest Seniors Subsidized Housing (SSH) program operated by nonprofit societies and BC Housing. However, the average wait time for SSH units is three years and last year only eight per cent of those on the waiting list moved into a unit.
While 80 per cent of seniors do own the homes they live in, they are facing repairs they cannot afford, and there is no provincial program to help them with repair costs. Half of low-income seniors reported needing house repairs they cannot afford.
Home support programs assist seniors with personal care such as bathing, dressing, medications and respite. Most seniors prefer to age-in-place and 50 per cent of low-income seniors are concerned they will not be able to do so. When proper support is provided, this is a healthy alternative to costly long-term care.
However, unlike many other provinces where home support is provided free, here all but GIC recipients must pay for this service.
A single senior with an annual income of $28,000 receiving just 45 minutes per day assistance will be charged $8,800 a year. In many cases this cost drives seniors out of their homes and into long-term care.
The majority of BC seniors are not covered by a private medical plan and must meet the costs of dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids and mobility aids. 25 per cent of low-income BC seniors cannot afford medications provided by their physicians. As for dental care, 40 per cent of low-income seniors have not seen a dentist in the past three years and 66 per cent say they require dental care but cannot afford it. In many cases these people lose their teeth and cannot afford dentures.
One of the most important factors in maintaining good health is a healthy diet. Many seniors are forced to buy low quality food. Among low-income seniors, 84 per cent say that at times they do not have money to buy food.
According to the OSA: “Maintaining strong social connections is one of the elements of successful aging.”
Transportation is vital to maintain social connections. In City of Powell River, the transit system and developing active transportation network make travel within the city boundaries feasible. However, in qathet Regional District, many seniors face transportation challenges.
While we do have a rural transit system, it is not yet well enough developed to meet the needs of many seniors. As a result, some seniors continue to drive their own vehicle when it is no longer safe to do so. Where possible other seniors will depend on relatives or friends to taxi them about, or they will stay home.
In the leadup to National Seniors Day both the prime minister and our premier issued statements supporting seniors and their important role in society. In light of the OSA report, the time for lip service is past. Both levels of senior government must step up and cooperatively make the required investment to improve the living standards of our seniors.
Tim Larsen is a qathet Regional District resident who lives in the Black Point neighbourhood.
