My thanks to Ken and the BC Retired Teachers for this information
· There are 850 000 seniors in BC-17% of the population and by 2031 seniors will be 24% of the population
· Percent of seniors living alone: 8% under 65; 60% over 65, 46% over 85 years old
· Median income: $26,000 over 65; $22'000 over 75
· 4% of senior homeowners have household income less than $30,000
· 58% of senior renters have household income less than $30,000
· 35% of senior renters have household income less than $20'000
· 20% of seniors rent
· Rent has increased 34% in Vancouver, Victoria, & Kelowna in the last 10 years and the SAFER (Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters) maximum rent eligible for subsidy has only increased by 9%
· 42% of seniors are not aware of SAFER
· 47% of seniors enrolled in the home support program received no home support in the last 7 days
· 30,000 seniors receive home care
· Seniors living without diagnosis of dementia: 95 % over 65; 80% over 85
· Seniors with active driver's licenses: 76% over 65: 34% over 85
· 75% of seniors over 85 live completely independently in BC-not a burden on taxpayers
· Taxes and utilities are increasing faster than inflation. Maintenance costs are high. Major repairs can force a move by a senior
· 78% of senior homeowners have no mortgage
· Isobel Mackenzie suggests that a Homeowner Expense Deferral Account program be set up to allow seniors to defer costly home repair maintenance costs similar to property tax deferral
· 27,000 seniors live in residential care
· 4% of seniors over 65 live in residential care; l3%o of seniors over 85. Average cost of private pay residential care in BC in 2013 was $5720 month or $68,640/year
· Wait times for residential care is increasing as senior’s population increases
· Complaints about residential care have increased 14.2% in 2014-2015
· 82% of residential care facilities are not funded for the 3.36 hour/residential hours per day as per the BC guidelines
· Isobel Mackenzie said people who have kids in daycare would never put up with the lack of care given to seniors in residential care"
· 27 4% of seniors in residential care are on anti-psychotic drugs without a diagnosis of psychosis. Over-medication and compliance is a problem in residential care
· 96% of seniors have a general practitioner physician
· 29% of BC residents in the last 12 months did not take their medications because they were unaffordable. Health care costs make it difficult for seniors to live independently at home
· 3O% of seniors in BC have over $1500 in individual prescription drug needs
· 97% of seniors in BC eligible for home support also receive support from an unpaid caregiver
· Almost one-third of caregivers are in distress and they provide an average of 30 hours of care per week. Unpaid caregivers in BC need more support
· If you want or need more information, you can go to the Seniors Advocate website
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