BC FORUM News - from The Advocate, January, 2014

Liberals ignore care for seniors

Government fails to take action to address the crisis in community care

A year and a half after the release of an exhaustive and damning report, the BC government has largely failed to make meaningful improvements.

Ombudsperson Kim Carter’s report, The Best of Care: Getting it Right for Seniors in British Columbia, provided a comprehensive roadmap for fixing BC’s home and community health care system.

A new policy brief published Nov. 14 by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives finds:

• Just 6% of the recommendations have been fully implemented.
• 24% have either been partially implemented or are under consideration.
• 3% have not moved forward despite a government commitment to do so.
• 1% have missed their timeline for implementation.
• A stunning 66% have been ignored.

“There is an appalling lack of leadership from the provincial government on seniors care,” says lead author Marcy Cohen.

“Ensuring quality care for seniors is not only the right thing to do, in the long run it saves money for all British Columbians. With improved home support and other community-based services, seniors stay healthier and use the expensive hospital system much less.”