The B.C. Care Providers Association (BCCPA) released a report yesterday calling on the government to increase funding for seniors’ care. The report is aimed at putting the issue on the agenda for the upcoming provincial election.

BCCPA affirms the demands of our Seniors Deserve Better campaign; this is yet another report that confirms what our members have been telling us, pointing to the need for increased funding for seniors’ care.

The BCCPA report, called Strengthening Seniors Care: A Made-in-B.C. Roadmap, includes 30 recommendations and calls for up to $337 million a year to be spent on seniors’ care over the next five years.

Among its recommendations, the BCCPA is calling for:

• A minimum 3.36 direct-care hours per day per senior in publicly funded homes.
• An increase in minimum time for home-care visits to 30 minutes from the current 15.
• Up to $5 million per year over the next five years to recruit, train and retain workers in the sector.

BCGEU applauds the BCCPA for its recommendations. BCGEU members in this sector face tremendous challenges when it comes to coping with staff shortages. Significant investments in both residential care and home support will have a direct impact on the quality of care seniors receive. With our aging population, it’s more important than ever that seniors’ issues are top of mind for British Columbians as they cast their ballots in this spring’s provincial election.