Re: Senior’s Advocate’s report to the provincial government
(Published Trail Times, March 21, “Senior’s advocate: Affordability, access to services and rising rates of abuse of concern”)
What Isobel Mackenzie’s report doesn’t do, is compare the situation of seniors living in the rural part of B.C. to those living in the urban areas.
Mackenzie gave an excellent report in Trail last month — to a packed Legion Hall — filled with statistics and percentages that showed inequities for service and accessibility for seniors in rural areas.
Apparently, one-third of B.C.’s seniors live below the poverty line of $24,000.
Personal wealth of a senior on a fixed income is often tied to the value of their home.
Selling price in the rural area of B.C. is on average $430,000, while the average price of a home in an urban area is $1,500,000.
Think of the implications for finding affordable (subsidized) social housing.
Transportation costs and distances in rural areas are much larger to access medical information and care, even if the hospitals now facing staff shortages can remain open on a 24/7 basis.
There is a shortage of public transportation for those unable to drive.
Federal and provincial governments have said publicly for the past decade, that they are supportive of seniors having a right to “age in place,” being safe and being able to access assistance to home care, health services and transportation when needed.
I suggest that we rural seniors need to lobby the provincial government for a second/third independent Senior Advocate to fully represent the needs of seniors living throughout B.C.
Currently, the senior advocate lives in Victoria, an urban area and home to the majority of population and elected MLAs.
Jackie Drysdale,
Concerned Citizen
Rossland