By Times Chronicle Staff
The Office of the Seniors Advocate is seeking input from family caregivers about their experiences helping a loved one access publicly-funded long-term care in the province.
The Seniors Advocate says the current availability of long-term care beds in BC falls short of what is needed leaving seniors and caregivers facing significant challenges due to long wait times.
Nearly 6,500 seniors are waiting for long-term care with an average wait time of 242 days, a 150 per cent increase from five years ago, with some seniors waiting two to three years for their preferred care home.
The office said it is undertaking a systemic review to better understand long-term care supply and demand issues. It is asking caregivers supporting a family member currently waitlisted for publicly-funded long-term care, or were previously waitlisted and accessed a long-term care bed within the last year, to complete a short survey. The feedback provided will inform the review.
“People caring for a senior are often working, have children or are seniors themselves. Many caregivers tell our office home support doesn’t provide enough care or is too expensive, respite through adult day or community programs are not available or insufficient, and they experience burnout as a result of these shortfalls,” said Dan Levitt, BC Seniors Advocate.
“Caregivers report challenges with wait times, placement processes and communication, and availability, particularly in rural areas. We want to make sure their experiences are captured in our review and contribute to the recommendations in the report.”
The review of long-term care supply and demand will analyze data and system factors driving waitlists and wait times for long-term care; the current and projected supply of long-term care beds; government policies, legislation and regulations in long-term care; workforce and staffing challenges; and caregiver feedback. The final report will be available in Spring 2025.
“We’re asking government to create a detailed plan on how many new long-term care beds are needed, how many need to be replaced, and how it will address this shortfall over the next ten years,” said Levitt.
“By 2036, one in four of British Columbians will be a senior, and the oldest baby boomer will be 90 years old. The clock is ticking for us to take action to ensure seniors, regardless of where they live in the province, have timely access to quality long-term care close to home.”
The online survey is available until March 4 and requires 5-15 minutes to complete. Surveys are available in hard copy upon request and are also being shared through stakeholder groups and other partners. Anyone needing assistance completing the survey can contact the Office of the Seniors Advocate directly at 1-877-952-3181 (toll free).
