Some BC stats on Seniors

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