Area seniors had the opportunity to speak their mind at a town hall on May 4, addressing their concerns about health care access and housing directly at B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie.
The town hall, co-hosted by advocacy group Skeena Valley Seniors, touched on a variety of issues, but it was Northern Health and the Seven Sisters mental health residence building, near the new Memorial Mills Hospital, that garnered the most opinions.
Skeena Valley Seniors has been advocating for preserving the Seven Sisters building and converting it into a daycare centre for health care workers at the nearby hospital. The group’s president, Diana Penner, stressed that “nobody is listening to us” when it comes to the issue of the Seven Sisters building, adding the measure could help retain staff and ensure better access to health care for seniors, but they’ve been stonewalled by Northern Health.
Both Northern Health and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix have told the seniors group the old residence is coming down and that its replacement, now under construction, is larger with more room for services.
Mackenzie didn’t touch much on the Seven Sisters building, but did say that residents should get in touch with her office.
In her upcoming fall report to the government, Mackenzie will include the comments and complaints she hears during her tour throughout the province, including the concerns expressed in Terrace, but no commitment was made to include the Seven Sisters project concerns in that report.
READ MORE: BC Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie to host town hall meeting in Terrace
Even though Mackenzie acknowledged that the challenges in health care are more pronounced in rural areas compared to cities, such as Vancouver and Victoria, she emphasized the importance of having enough staff with the right attitude to care for seniors in health care facilities.
The town hall also touched on the issue of affordable housing for seniors in the region.
Mackenzie mentioned that the government has a role to play in providing affordable housing options, such as co-ops for modest, moderate, and lower-income residents in rural B.C. Terrace City Councillor Brian Downie, who Mackenzie spoke to earlier, agreed on the need for more independent living facilities for seniors in the city, as he suggested he might decide to move into something similar when he decides to retire.
Northern Health’s bureaucracy was also heavily criticized by residents who claimed the organization does not prioritize seniors’ needs. Mackenzie encouraged residents to reach out to their MLAs and unite as a rural voice to exert pressure on Northern Health.
Various other issues discussed during the town hall included seniors’ transportation, the lack of wheelchair-accessible taxis in the city, and the growing problem of seniors fraud. Mackenzie suggested implementing a seniors abuse or fraud phone line to report such cases, and urged cellular providers to stop charging seniors for Caller ID, as it is an essential service to prevent said fraud.
When asked about any overarching themes Mackenzie’s found in town halls across the northwest, she said there is “frustration with access to health services through Northern Health, such as home and community care.”
Wait times for long-term care are the longest in the province. However, the province isn’t necessarily tailoring services to the “uniqueness of the north,” Mackenzie said. “While we will talk about how we do things a bit differently in the north, we are still taking a traditional approach — and we have to look at something a little bit different because every community is a bit different.”
She also said she hopes new federal standards for long-term care will be adopted in B.C.
The role of B.C. Seniors Advocate is to act independently of the provincial government, in the interest of seniors and their caregivers. You can reach her office, via phone at (250) 952-3181 and via email at info@seniorsadvocatebc.ca.
Viktor Elias joined the Terrace Standard in April 2023.
Tips or story ideas? (250) 638-7283 ext. 5411 or viktor.elias@terracestandard.com.
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