Health Care Needs Home Care Coalition Calls for Election Commitments on Seniors’ Home Support
By Contributor
More than 1,200 constituent letters have been sent to all 93 Members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, calling for action to improve access to affordable home support for seniors since the start of the Health Care Needs Home Care campaign launch on June 2.
With British Columbia now entering a provincial election, the Health Care Needs Home Care coalition, its partners, and affiliates are calling on all political parties and candidates to address seniors’ home support as part of their health-care platforms. For seniors and their family caregivers, the need for home support does not pause during an election. This critical issue was before government and opposition prior to the writ being dropped. It must remain a high priority during and following the election.
Across British Columbia, seniors are seeking ways to remain safely and meaningfully in their own homes and communities as they age. For many, publicly funded home support is an essential part of making that possible. Yet co-payments and other barriers can make these services difficult to access, while insufficient support can place additional pressure on families and caregivers.
The coalition is calling for the elimination of co-payments for publicly funded home support services, along with expanded access to alternative models of service delivery that can help seniors age well in place.
“More than 1,200 British Columbians have taken the time to write to their MLAs because this issue matters to them,” said Jeff Moss, speaking on behalf of the Health Care Needs Home Care coalition. Representing more than 500,000 BC Seniors, he says, “Seniors and their families need to know that political parties and candidates support
them by improving affordable access to home support. This is an issue that needs to be part of the provincial election conversation.”
The campaign has brought together seniors’ organizations, caregivers, community organizations, and care providers to advocate for changes to the way home support is delivered and funded. The campaign has also engaged elected representatives and policymakers across the province. The coalition believes that strengthening home support should be considered as part of the province’s broader response to pressure on hospitals, Alternate Level of Care (ALC) beds and long-term care capacity. Supporting seniors to remain safely at home can also help reduce pressure on family caregivers and provide seniors with greater choice about where and how they age.
“Seniors and their family caregivers need solutions that allow people to age with dignity in their own homes and communities,” said Barb MacLean, Executive Director at Family Caregivers of British Columbia. “We want to see seniors’ home support addressed by all parties during this election.”
The coalition will continue to engage with political parties, candidates, seniors’ organizations, caregivers, and community partners throughout the election campaign. The Health Care Needs Home Care coalition is asking political parties and candidates to address:
• Access: How will seniors be able to access the home support they need?
• Affordability: Will you support the elimination of co-payments and other financial barriers to publicly funded home support for seniors?
• Aging in place: What investments will you support to help seniors remain safely and independently in their homes and communities?
• Caregiver support: What measures will you provide to reduce the growing pressure on family caregivers?
• Alternative service models: Will you support innovative approaches to delivering care help to meet the changing needs of British Columbia’s aging population?
• Health-care capacity: Will you support policy that addresses pressure on hospitals, ALC beds and long-term care?
The coalition will continue advocating for accessible, affordable, and sustainable home support for seniors and their families across British Columbia.
