Office of the Seniors Advocate

British Columbia seniors are living longer and staying healthier until later in life, but waitlists for vital services to support healthy ageing continue to grow.

The Office of the Seniors Advocate (OSA) released the Monitoring Seniors Services 2024 Report which tracks trends over time for demographics, health care, completed surgeries, home support, long-term care, housing, rent and income supports, and abuse.

“Unfortunately, despite government investment in seniors’ services, we continue to fall behind meeting many basic needs. There is less home care, long-term care beds, rent subsidies and subsidized seniors housing available today per population compared to five years ago,” said BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt. 

“This is particularly worrisome when the seniors’ population in B.C. has grown 45 per cent over the past 10 years and will continue to increase over the next decade.”

Levitt said the new government must develop an action oriented, measurable cross-ministry seniors’ plan that defines how it will meet the growing needs of a population that will access significant public services as they age. 

New data in the monitoring report found that over the past five years:

• The percentage of the population 85+ increased 10 per cent, and 65+ rose 15 per cent.

• For people 65+, there were slight decreases in hospitalization and emergency department visits, and the percentage of people with dementia remained the same.

• The waitlists for knee and hip replacements for people 65+ increased 53 per cet and 59 per cent, respectively.

• There were 6,500 people waiting for a publicly-subsidized long-term care (LTC) bed in 2023/24, a 150 per cent increase from five years ago (2,600).

• The average wait time for someone admitted to LTC from hospital was 36 days, compared to 225 days for someone assessed as eligible but not urgent from the community in 2023/24.

• The number of publicly-subsidized home support clients increased 11 per cent, while the rate of clients per 1,000 seniors decreased seven per cent.

• The number of applications for seniors subsidized housing was almost 14,000 in 2023/24, a 59 per cent increase over five years; just six per cent of total applicants received a unit last year.

• The number of seniors receiving the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) subsidy decreased eight per cent, and the number of clients per 1,000 seniors decreased 18 per cent. 

• The number of unfulfilled HandyDart ride requests increased 44 per cent, while the number of rides provided decreased 15 per cent.

 The Better at Home Program, which delivers transportation, housekeeping, meal programs and other services to help seniors remain living at home, is providing more supports to more people, but the waitlist has increased 56 per cent over the past five years, said Levitt. 

“The vast majority of seniors want to age in place and we must do a better job helping people live safely at home – and out of hospital and long-term care – for as long as possible.”

The report shows that the number of seniors and their loved ones reporting abuse to the Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL) has increased 92 per cent over the past five years. 

RCMP have reported an 18 per cent increase in seniors being victims of a violent offense, a 23 per cent increase in being an assault victim, and an 88 per cent increase in frauds experienced by seniors over the past five years.

“The trend in the increase of reported abuse against seniors is especially concerning because incidents often go unreported,” said Levitt. “Often the victim feels embarrassed, fears retaliation or is unwilling to get a family member or other loved into trouble,”

 Anyone who suspects a senior may be a victim of abuse can call police, health authorities, Crime Stoppers, or SAIL at 1-866-437-1940.