British Columbia's Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie, released her annual Residential Care Facilities Quick Facts Directory this week, providing information about the almost 300 publicly subsidized residential care facilities in the province. 

Perhaps the most alarming finding in the report is that 85 per cent of B.C.'s residential-care homes fail to meet the government's own minimum staffing guidelines of 3.36 hours of direct care per resident per day.

To further break down the numbers, out of contracted facilities that are funded for an average of 3.01 direct care hours, a whopping 96 per cent fall below 3.36 direct care hours. Out of health authority-owned and operated facilities that are funded for an average of 3.35 direct care hours, 67 per cent fall below 3.36 direct care hours. 

This underscores the need for immediate staffing action in our province's seniors' care homes. 

We are hopeful that the BC NDP government will fulfil their commitment as outlined in Premier Horgan's mandate letter to Health Minister Dix to "to improve and strengthen services to ensure seniors receive dignified and quality care." 

Read the Seniors' Advocate's summary document highlighting trends based on the data contained in the Directory. 

UWU/MoveUP