Hold the BC government accountable on seniors' care

We would like to invite you to participate in the Better Care for Seniors Accountability Assembly, an online event, on October 11^th at 4:30pm-6:00pm. The Minister of Health Adrian Dix will join us to hear stories from seniors, family members and workers who have been impacted by the crisis in seniors care and respond to questions directly related to his mandate. Please register here.

In the past twenty years, home support has been devalued and rationed, with access to publicly funded home support consistently declining in BC since 2001. At the same time, for-profit long-term care companies have been pocketing public funds as profits and degrading the standard of care provided in residential care. 

While the pandemic showed us that our government can act boldly and decisively to make rapid system improvements, we've also seen how quickly political will can move on to other issues. That’s why it is important for as many supporters to attend this event and ensure that the government knows that seniors care should be on top of the political agenda.

We know there is a strong constituency across this province that is ready to support significant investments and reforms in long-term care and home support. By coming together, we intend to show this government that we expect them to deliver on these promises:

1. “support delivery of better care to seniors by private operators of long-term care homes by making them more accountable for the public funding they receive” [Health Minister's Mandate letter] by:  

• Requiring that all contracted long-term care facilities that receive public money clearly report revenues and expenditures to the public and require that all surplus funds be spent on the care of seniors or be returned.
• Standardizing reporting for direct care hours so that staffing levels and ratios can be independently verified and enforced.
• Ensuring that all facilities that receive public money are required to be a part of a public sector master collective agreement, and to ban exploitative sub-contracting practices  

2. “Improve and expand publicly funded home care to provide better care and help with daily living so that people can stay in their own homes for as long as is safely possible, receiving care from a more stable group of care aides” [Health Minister's Mandate letter] by:

• Removing the current regulated daily rate co-payment
• Increasing wages and guaranteeing hours for Home Support workers